Collide
by KassandraK
Summary: Peter and Charlotte were supposed to be together forever- or so he thought. When Charlotte's infidelity leaves Peter broken, he turns to Jasper and the Cullen's to ease the pain. Little did he know that their new human would flip his world upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: The timeline of this is in Twilight, before the baseball game where the Cullen's meet James, Victoria, and Laurent.

Peter didn't know why he was even bothering with the long drive down to Forks, Washington. Oh, that's right—because his old, annoying friend Jasper had called him to come out. He hadn't heard from Jasper in a few months now. The last he knew, the Cullen's had found some pet human that Edward had attached himself to. Peter's grip tightened minutely on the wheel of his truck, his lips pulling back into a faint sneer. He knew he was wrong to feel jealousy bubbling beneath the false façade of calm that threatened to crumble with every moment. The thought of romance, love, or 'happy couples' had him reeling with anger and bitterness. He really didn't want to go to the Cullen's. He didn't want Jasper or Alice to wrap their marble arms around him and tell him it would all be 'okay', when he fucking _knew _it wouldn't be okay. He didn't want to go _anywhere_ but back to the tattered shack he called 'home', back into the bedroom where he had found Charlotte in the throes of passion with a nameless vampire, and proceed rip everything to shreds.

He wished that his blasted gift hadn't warned him of Charlotte's infidelity. It was just an insistent niggle at first, pressing against his conscience the wrong way. After so many years of always 'just knowing things', he knew best not to ignore the unpleasant tingle down his spine. That day, he had turned away from his hunt and sprinted home, already knowing what he would find waiting for him. Charlotte hadn't bothered with the false privacy of a closed door, her back facing Peter as she bounced up and down on an unknown nomad beneath her.

She must have been too distracted with the offending vampire to realize Peter had come back so soon. She paused though, when she realized that they were not alone. Peter's pitch black eyes met hers, and the chaos that ensued afterwards was of epic proportion. He couldn't remember much in his haze of fury.

Rip. Tear. Venom—so much venom.

The nameless nomad didn't stand a chance against Peter's unbridled fury. Charlotte had fled amidst the haze of his attack. When he finally came out of the cloudy red fog in his mind, she was already gone. Peter proceeded to burn the pieces of the 'other man' and bury the ashes. He then found himself sitting on the couch in the old, tattered living room of a home that really wasn't his anyway for longer than he cared to know. It could have been days or weeks that he sat on that couch, his unfocused gaze planted on the peeling walls of the shack. His hunger warred with his hurt and eventually, he had attacked a group of unfortunate hikers nearby.

Peter tried to call her, but received no answers. He had no idea where she was going or if he was ever going to see her again. His undead heart ached with pain, but he couldn't let Charlotte take all the blame. This was a long time coming now. They had both known that they were not soul mates—not like Jasper and Alice. They were filling time and easing loneliness with each other, but Peter knew that he was in love with Charlotte at one point. He didn't want to believe that there was someone else out there that was a better fit for him, even less that there was another vampire out there that could better suit _her_ needs. They had been together for decades now and that was the way he liked it. Finding her in the arms of another had hurt badly, but it only reinforced their initial theory. He and Charlotte were definitely not mates. Mates didn't betray each other and mates definitely wouldn't be able to run away without driving each other crazy with the distance.

It wasn't too long after his wallowing that Jasper called in concern. Alice had seen a glimpse of Peter joining the Cullen's for a small reunion. He had yet to meet any of the other Cullen's and apparently, _this_ was the best time for that. He snorted in dry humor, his death-grip on the wheel loosening only a fraction.

"_Pete, you need to be with friends. Come see us. It's been too long and everyone would love to meet you." Jasper's velvety voice said through the line._

"_This isn't a good time." Peter replied in a barely restrained voice._

"_This is the best time. Come, brother. Alice has seen it. And you know not to bet against Alice." _

_The silence on the line was deafening. Peter finally inhaled deeply and released a long, weary sigh. The niggling tingle down his spine was back and again, he found himself listening to it. "Fuck. I hate you right now, but I'm on the way. Get some blood-bags ready."_

"_You got it." Jasper replied. Peter could hear the smile in his voice._

And that was why he was racing down the empty highway, only ten minutes away from the quaint little town of Forks, Washington. He seriously contemplated half-way through the trip to turn around and go straight back home. He had pulled over on the side of that highway, turned off his car, and buried his face into his hands, warring with what he wanted and what his gift was telling him to do. The last thing he needed was to meet new people after the horrendous betrayal of loyalty from Charlotte. His trust was waning, but he only had one true friend left. Jasper Whitlock—not Cullen—but Whitlock, was his brother and the last person on this damned planet that he could turn to. His impish wife Alice had grown on him over the past few decades as well and Peter decided right there, in that turn out, that he wouldn't let Charlotte's betrayal get the best of him. Maybe Jasper was right—a quick reunion might be exactly what he needed to get his mind off of his supposed mate.

/

Bella was slightly startled when Alice came to her with news of a new vampire coming to visit that day.

"His name is Peter and he's an old friend of ours. He's a human drinker," she started, her honeyed eyes flicking over to an angry Edward, "…But don't worry Bella, he won't hurt you. I've seen it." The little Pixie reassured, her cold marble hands wrapping around Bella's.

"I trust him if you do." She replied, but Edward's cool hand found her waist, pulling her in close. It was obvious that he was wary about having this Peter over, but she put her ultimate faith in Alice. If she believed it would be fine, then it would be fine. Alice then proceeded to tell the family about Peter and his break off with his lover, Charlotte. Bella couldn't help but feel tears pooling into her eyes by the time the smallest vampire had finished.

"Bella, love." Edward whispered to her, wiping away the wetness on her cheeks. "What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes filling with concern.

"It's just… unfair. It's unfair for him to be alone. No one should be alone after something like that. I'm glad he's coming." she replied with a thick hiccup. She felt her emotions level out quickly and shot Jasper a grateful look. His eyes radiated warmth and he offered her a small smile, though staying across the room.

"Thank you Bella, for _feeling_. It is with this family and your unyielding compassion that I hope to bring Peter out of his… funk." He said, for lack of better word.

"30 seconds away." Alice warned, her eyes brightening with excitement, but not as much as Jaspers. Carlisle and Esme stood in the back, his hand on the small of her back as they awaited their new guest. Emmett and Rosalie were seated on the couch. The hulking vampire grinned in anticipation, though his lovely mate was busy picking away at the invisible dirt beneath her fingernails. Edward and Bella sat at the forefront of the room, just a few feet away from the front door.

"Bella, let's get you back a little bit." Edward encouraged, standing up.

Rosalie snorted, rolling her eyes. "You can smell her a mile away. A few feet won't make a difference."

"Have some faith in him, Edward." Esme scolded. He sighed, sitting back down, though his arm wrapped around Bella's middle. All their eyes turned towards the door when they heard the crunch of footsteps towards the door.

Alice didn't even let the poor immortal ring the bell, practically ripping the doorway open to let him in. There was a moment of pregnant silence before Alice squealed, "Peter!"

"Ally." A low, dulcet voice greeted from the other side of the door. Bella watched in anticipation and slight anxiousness as a military boot stepped into the house followed by faded jeans, a woolen gray parka, and the most astonishing red eyes she had ever seen.

Peter's gaze was focused on the smallest vampire for a moment as he stooped to wrap Alice into a tight hug, giving Bella an excuse to continue to stare. He was tall—almost as tall as Jasper. 6'3, she would guess. His hair was a rich cognac brown and looked irresistibly silky. He looked to be between Jasper's and Emmett's size, but it was hard to tell with the parka on. But those eyes—those eyes were what caught her attention the most. They were the most extraordinary shade of deep crimson, his pupils blacker than night. She thought that the Cullen's had the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen, but she had been very wrong. This man, though he wasn't directing his gaze at her, rooted her to her spot and at the same time made her want to flee.

Peter turned his gaze from Alice to Jasper almost immediately next. They exchanged smiles and tight hugs before Jasper began introducing him to the coven. He made his way around from Esme all the way through Emmett before finally settling on Edward and Bella.

"This is Edward and his girlfriend, Isabella Swan."

Peter's eyes met with Edward first, nodding slightly in his direction, giving no indication of emotion yet. Edward did the same, his grip tightening slightly around Bella's waist. She shifted uncomfortably when his fingers dug a little harder than necessary into her soft skin.

Peter then directed his crimson gaze to the human for the first time. He had been holding his breath since he'd stepped into the room because he knew she would be there, but his air supply was running low. Steeling himself, he inhaled. She was, in short, intoxicating. Her scent was mouthwatering in the strangest sense. This was the first time in his existence that he didn't want to eat a human and instead felt the urge to _ravish_ her. He halted in his step, tensing as her warm chocolate brown eyes gazed intensely back at him.

Had he ever seen eyes like hers before? They were a rich brown, filled with unspoken emotion and wonder. Her heart shaped face was complimented with long mahogany hair and pale, flawless skin. He'd never seen even one vampire come even close to the beauty of this simple human before him. She would be an irresistible immortal one day.

"H-Hi." She mumbled, thrusting a warm hand forward in an attempt to avert from the awkward situation. Peter didn't know how he managed, but he stiffly moved forward and took her hand into his own, his mind jumbled with confusion. Her skin was soft, warm, and so pliable under his granite digits. He lifted her hand to his nose, his lips barely brushing against her skin.

"Isabella." He greeted in a restrained voice.

Edward growled lowly behind her, his hand still at the small of her back. The coven was deathly silent as they watched the pair greet each other, ready to spring to action if Peter made any unsatisfactory moves.

"Relax." Jasper whispered to them, his cool gaze calm, but also confused. Peter definitely didn't want to drink from Bella, but he was rolling in lust for the human before him. The Empath's eyes trailed towards Edward, who was practically shaking on the couch and exuding ridiculous amounts of jealousy and anger. What could he possibly be reading from Peter's mind? It didn't take long for two and two to click together for Jasper. He glanced over at Alice, who already had a knowing look on her face.

"Bella. We need to go." Edward snapped, standing up much too quickly for Peter's liking. He resisted baring his teeth at the younger vampire, his hand still locked onto Bella's. Apparently, the Mind Reader had also realized what just happened – and he would be damned if he would allow Bella to find out herself.

"What? Why?" she asked, turning her gaze to Edward.

"No one is going anywhere." Jasper cut in, Alice following his suit with a nod.

"I should go." Peter grinded out, dropping Bella's hand hastily and retreating towards the door, seemingly snapping back into his senses. Alice flashed in front of him quickly, shaking her head.

"Pete, I didn't know this would happen. I didn't see it." She whispered, her hand pressing against his chest in an effort to keep him in place. "Please stay. We can work this out."

"There isn't anything to work out. Let him leave." Edward answered her from his place, already tugging Bella towards another exit. She stumbled in her step, yelping as his grip tightened further on her waist.

The family was still in shocked silence. This reunion and meeting had quickly turned for the worst.

Peter barely registered his own movement before he made it. Bella's pained yelp was more than enough to set him off. He couldn't understand _why,_ but he needed to protect her. Within the next few seconds, he found his hand wrapped around Edward's throat and Bella tucked safely behind him. He lifted the young Mind Reader into the air effortlessly, his grip tight on Edward's granite throat. Peter's lips curled into a feral snarl.

The Cullen's shifted in their spots, not knowing what to do. Carlisle spoke first.

"Peter, please put Edward down. There need not be a fight." He encouraged.

"What is happening?" Bella asked from behind Peter, her eyes wide with fright. One moment they were all shaking hands and making nice, and now her boyfriend was being held captive for a reason she couldn't understand.

"Bella," Jasper replied, his voice tense, "… Peter has finally found his mate."

A/N: So this has been swimming around in my mind for a while and I thought I'd just whip it up and throw it out there. Fair warning: updates will be sporadic at best, but reviews always give me encouragement. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

_Previously: "What is happening?" Bella asked from behind Peter, her eyes wide with fright. One moment they were all shaking hands and making nice, and now her boyfriend was being held captive for a reason she couldn't understand._

"_Bella," Jasper replied, his voice tense, "… Peter has finally found his mate."_

* * *

The resounding roar of anger shook the house, Edward's teeth gnashing at the vice grip around his throat. He didn't want to believe it. Bella, his only reason for living, was mated to another vampire—another _human drinking_ vampire. "She loves me." He hissed down to Peter, who's piercing crimson gaze was zoned in on Jasper. Edward's anger rose indefinitely at the nomad's blatant disregard to him and even more so when he realized Bella was being placed under false protection. She was against the wall, practically sandwiched between the glass and Peter's back, her hands pressed against the wool of his parka.

Peter had to restrain the menacing snarl that bubbled at his lips, tightening his grip on Edward further. He could feel the Mind Readers throat beginning to crumble beneath his firm clutch.

"Put him down, man. We can figure this shit out and then… uh, watch the game." Emmett said, trying to diffuse the situation, his golden eyes glancing over at the TV blaring the latest football game.

Peter reluctantly dropped Edward onto the ground, the smaller vampire landing on his feet and rubbing at his quickly healing throat. "Bella, come here." He snapped, holding out a hand to the frightened human girl still tucked behind the nomad. Peter glanced behind his shoulder at the pale, thin girl. Her heartbeat was wild and her eyes were wide in alarm. She was obviously still confused, but he didn't like the way Edward spoke to her—to what belonged to _him_. The spine tingling niggle was back again, every nerve in his body screaming at him to claim her as his own. Peter warred within with his gift, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with her hot hands warming his back.

"He's not safe. Come. Here." Edward repeated in a low voice, barely restraining the anger in his tone.

"Who did you mean, Jasper? Who is Peter's mate?" Bella asked, ignoring Edward's plea and turning to face the Empath, un-tucking herself from the wall behind her and the man guarding her, all the while trying to ignore the fact that his muscles practically rippled beneath her fingers when she did. She feared she already knew the answer, dreading the look that Jasper gave her.

"It's not true, Bella. I love you. You're my mate." Edward tried to reassure from his place, his hand still outstretched to her. She hesitated still, not understanding why suddenly Edward's outstretched palm didn't look as inviting as it had just an hour ago.

"Is this why you brought me here?! To rip them apart?! To make me suffer more?!" Peter accused to Jasper, his eyes pitch black with a ferocity that the Empath hadn't seen in over a decade. "First Char, and now this. I can't handle any more of this bullshit, Major."

"Peter, no one knew this would happen." Jasper replied, his eyes hardening at his old friend, "… now calm down." He growled out, pushing as much lethargy as he could towards the enraged vampire. The sweeping of calm took the whole room, forcing them all to relax for the time being.

The hairs on Peter's neck stood on end, forcing him to turn his attention back to Bella. She was swaying on her feet, her heartbeat slowing slightly. His hands were lightning fast when she swooned, fainting under what he could only assume was emotional stress. He couldn't stop the onslaught of guilt he felt for causing the creature in his arms any pain. He also couldn't stop the berating anger he felt for even _feeling_ this way for the human. She was supposed to be pathetically weak, ugly, and a nuisance altogether.

But she wasn't.

'_Fuck. I am so fucking fucked.' _He groaned inwardly.

He picked up her frail frame in his arms, her head lulling onto his shoulder and her arms tucking up to his chest in an effort to get closer. He wondered if it was subconscious and then hoped immediately afterwards that it wasn't. He _wanted_ her to want him. Edward's snarl of anger snapped him out of his Bella induced haze.

"Don't touch her!" the Mind Reader barked, moving forward to take Bella from Peter's arms.

"Stop, son." Carlisle cut in, gripping Edward's shoulder. "You're angry. You could hurt her." He reasoned.

"_I _could hurt her? This is ridiculous. We don't know him! We only know that he's some old friend of Jaspers, who I might also add doesn't have the greatest control either. Bella is safer with _me_." He retorted.

Peter didn't have to look at Jasper to see the hurt flash across his face. That was a low blow. He turned an angry glare to Edward. Even _he_ wasn't that callous. He knew how hard Jasper had been trying to adjust to this life style to appease the Cullen's. Oh, how he wished for the glory days when all the criminals fell at their feet, their bellies warm with searing hot blood. It was practically doing a service to the world, Peter felt. He got rid of the scum while sating himself. It was an easy path to follow, but one that the Cullen's refrained from. He could respect that, but he definitely wouldn't respect the pussy whipped punk in front of him.

Alice hissed at Edward, her arm wrapping around her mate. "How dare you? Jasper hasn't had a slip up in years." she snapped back, venomous tears pooling in her eyes at Jasper's pain.

"Enough. She needs rest." Peter finally cut in to change the subject, his eyes resting on the sleeping girl in his arms. "Whatever this is, it can wait until she wakes. She deserves to know what's happening."

"There's nothing _happening_. You're leaving. Now." Edward replied, still seething. The sight of Bella in Peter's arms squashed Jasper's calming effect instantly.

"I'd like to see you try, Puss." Peter shot back with a feral smirk, knowing hands down he would win in a fight against Edward. Jasper could always manage to put him on his ass, but Edward? He could fight the prissy vampire with his eyes closed. A mind reader couldn't take advantage of an opponent that fought on pure instinct. Peter didn't think about his moves—he just made them based on that insistent spine tingle that told him where to go and what to do. And for that reason he would always be thankful for his blasted, annoying gift.

"Oh yeah." Emmett egged on, grinning from ear to ear at the thought of a brawl. "My bet's on Pete."

The thwack from Rosalie's open palm resounded in the large house.

* * *

Bella could feel cool, hard fingers running through her hair soothingly. She sighed contentedly, shifting her face on the pillow sandwiched between her head and an immortals' cold legs. "Feels good." She mumbled, still half asleep. She desperately wanted to go back to her dream where a devilishly rugged vampire with crimson eyes was thoroughly ravishing her. She immediately felt guilt wash over her thoughts because for the first time since she'd moved to Forks, she hadn't dreamt of Edward. What was that about?

"Yeah, but you have to wake up." Alice's voice replied to her, though the Pixie's slender fingers continued to trace Bella's scalp.

"Dun wanna." She mumbled back, burying her face into the soft pillow. Alice sighed indifferently, but didn't reply. Now _that_ was unusual. The cheerful vampire was always chatty—no matter what. Bella's eyes peeked open and glanced up at Alice's troubled expression. "What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up finally.

"Peter." Alice said softly, watching Bella's expression morph from confusion to shock and ultimately to understanding. She finally remembered now. Peter was here, Peter was her supposed 'mate', and Peter was who she was dreaming of. Again, a wall of guilt and sorrow crashed down on her conscience. She had no doubt that Edward was furious about the whole situation, but her pain reached for Peter. His wife had left him and he had come here in hopes of making friends and easing his loneliness. Instead, he'd found his mate who was already attached to another vampire. Her head was spinning with the emotional overload. There was no doubt in her mind that she was, in fact, in love with Edward. But there was something about Peter that she felt her core gravitate to. Was that what this 'mating' meant? Even in that moment, her body craved for closeness to him, though she desperately wished it was for Edward instead.

Bella shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "What's happening to me, Alice?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Oh, Bella." Alice whispered, pulling the younger girl into her arms and rocking her thin frame. "It's what happens when you find 'the one'. You feel like you can't be away from him and any time apart feels like…"

"… like you're going crazy." Bella finished, tears pooling into her eyes. "I don't know if I can do this, Alice. What about Edward? I still love Edward. At least I think I do." She gasped, burying her face into the crook of Alice's neck.

"Why do I feel so uncertain? It's so stupid! Just yesterday, all I wanted was Edward. And now… my heart is pulling in two different directions. It's just impossible for me to _want_ Peter so badly when I've barely even met him. Hell, I don't even know his last name!" she exclaimed, her tenor growing in volume.

"It's Whitlock." A low velvety voice replied from the doorway. Bella's eyes snapped up to meet an intense red gaze. Peter leaned against the doorframe, a small smirk curled on his lips. "Fate is such a bitch, ain't she sugar?"

"Pete, language." Alice chastised, gently pulling Bella to her feet.

"Whatever, Pixie. This trip ended up turning into a giant fucking shithole, didn't it? I told Jasper I didn't want to come, but _no_, he just had to insist." He grumbled, "… and now I gotta deal with this."

Bella recoiled at the sharp edge in his voice. She was something that needed to be 'dealt' with, apparently. On the spot, she decided that Peter was indeed an asshole.

'_An asshole that you can't stop staring at.' _She thought inwardly before mentally kicking herself. She couldn't believe how quickly her world had just flipped upside down. She quickly averted her gaze down to her beat up chucks, staring intensely at the hole where her big toe had rubbed out the material of the shoe.

"You know why you came. Your gift—" Alice started to reply to Peter.

"My gift is a joke. It fucks with me in ways you don't understand." He retorted midway through her sentence. Alice rolled her golden eyes at him, shooting him a 'shut up right now before you make things worse' look.

"You two needed time to talk and figure things out. I sent Edward and the rest of the family out on an impromptu hunt which I will be joining momentarily." Alice cut in, her eyes gazing into the future. "You have a couple of hours before Edward finally gets away from the coven and comes back. Use this time wisely."

"How the hell did you manage that?" Peter asked in incredulity, his eyes widening fractionally.

"You don't bet against the Pixie." Was her response, a cheeky grin spreading on her lips. "I'm leaving now."

"W-Wait!" Bella called out to Alice's retreating form. She didn't know if she wanted to be left alone with Peter. She didn't know him and for heaven's sake, the man was a _human drinker_! She might have some ridiculous mating attachment to him, but it was far from love and even further from trust.

"Bella, please. This is necessary. Peter is going to be staying with us now and you two need to learn what it is that you want from each other. Until that's decided, things are going to be strained for all of us. Just please… try and get to know each other while you have this moment of privacy." she said. And with that, Alice left to follow the Cullen's into their hunt, leaving her alone with Peter.

She immediately felt the pull in her core again and her feet started moving on their own, stepping closer and closer to him until they were just a foot away from each other. "Sorry." She mumbled lowly, her eyes fixing again on her shoes.

"Can't help it. I know." He replied, shrugging again. He tried to pass it off as nonchalant, but he was again warring with himself. It was sheer luck that she had moved first because his feet were shifting anxiously in an effort to get closer to her. He squashed the craving, rooting himself to that spot in the doorway, hoping to all the Gods that willpower alone would stop him from touching her.

"Look, sugar. I didn't want this and you didn't want this, but it fucking happened. So let's just make the best of it and figure it out, alright?" he asked. She nodded, but her eyes remained solely on her feet.

"Look at me." He whispered, slowly reaching out a single digit and tucking it under her chin, lifting her head. Their eyes met. "We're going to figure this out together. So stop worrying, 'cause it makes me nervous."

She managed a chuckle, feeling slightly better. "You can feel it when I'm worried?"

"It's just one of those 'mating' things, I guess. I don't fucking know, this is the first time it's ever happened to me." He replied, but he could feel it was more than just that. This bonding between Bella and him had his gift going haywire. Every move she made his hairs stand on end, every sweet breath she took made his spine tingle deliciously. It was like her very life gave him _feeling_. And 'feeling' was something he hadn't experienced in a long time—even with Charlotte.

He glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. She did the same.

"Two hours." She mumbled softly.

"Let's make them count." he replied. He would savor these moments while he could because that grumbling in his conscience—that fucking niggle— told him they wouldn't have very many.

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys so much for the follows, favorites, and the reviews. I wasn't expecting such a great turnout for a pairing like this. Please review if you have a moment—it really does motivate me to keep writing!

On a side note, I'd like to throw out there that I'm up for Twilight roleplay via PMs or Skype if any of you are interested. PM me if you're interested!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don'town any of the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

_Previously: "Two hours." She mumbled softly._

"_Let's make them count." he replied. He would savor these moments while he could because that grumbling in his conscience—that fucking niggle— told him they wouldn't have very many._

* * *

"Why aren't you jumping at the bit to kill me? Don't I smell good?" Bella asked, immediately regretting the word vomit that spilled from her mouth. Her thoughts were jumbled and she'd said the first thing that came to her mind to fill the awkward silence that had permeated the room. Peter had led her out to the couch where they sat for a few minutes, pretending to watch the TV. It took basically all of her willpower not to immediately scoot closer to him, her mind warring with her longing body.

'_Don't move, don't move. Please, for the love of God, don't move._' she begged to herself within, her heart racing. She didn't know how she could feel so many things at one time. On one hand, she was absolutely terrified to be in the same room with Peter. He was an unpredictable nomad, a human drinker, and absolutely deadly. His whole aura screamed 'danger' to her. On the other hand, her very _being_ couldn't stand to stay away, regardless of her fear. He was ridiculously handsome in her eyes—not the way Edward was handsome with his perfect hair or his youthful face, but more with the way he held himself and spoke to others. She knew in a world where venom perfected every physical aspect it was difficult to find an 'ugly' vampire, but Peter was definitely in a completely different league, leaving her feeling most inadequate.

"Not in that sense." he replied vaguely, his crimson eyes flicking over to her face. He didn't need Jasper to feel her palpable anxiety and it was setting off his gift. The buzzing in his conscience told him to get closer—to comfort her, but he didn't know how. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been around a human voluntarily or the last time he'd try to comfort anyone. He wasn't a 'people' person, to say the least. So he sat there, rigid in his spot as her answered her.

"Oh." she replied lamely, feeling only slightly better knowing that she wasn't tempting his thirst.

"You smell like strawberries." he added in an attempt to rectify his short reply to her. He watched her shift, her face flushing red. He hadn't wanted to embarrass her, but he also couldn't deny how appealing her blush was. She was, to him, undeniably sexy in the most understated way. Charlotte always wore revealing, tight clothing when they had been together. Though the view was always great, Peter never felt she had one ounce of modesty. Bella was almost Charlotte's polar opposite. She was in loose jeans and a t shirt one size too big for her. Her shoes were scuffed and she didn't have an ounce of makeup on.

"Oh?" she asked, her brown eyes averting to the seat of the couch in an effort to regain her composure. Edward always told her she smelled like strawberries and she was indifferent, but the way Peter said it made her toes curl and heat unfurl in her belly. She chanced a glance up at him, her eyes immediately snapping back to the couch when she spotted his red eyes watching her back. She could have sworn the devilish smirk on his lips was hot enough to drop her panties in a second.

"You're blushing." he stated bluntly, his smirk widening fractionally when her blush tinged darker.

"Human." she mumbled in explanation.

"Do you want to stay human?" he asked curiously. He was almost certain the topic had probably come up before between her and Edward. The look of frustration that passed across her face told him enough.

"No." she replied, sighing heavily and crossing her arms, "… I've spoken to him about it, but he refuses to change me. He wants me to have human experiences—marriage, kids, and death. The works."

"And you don't want any of that?" he asked, prodding gently to get more information out of her. This creature was an enigma to him. He enjoyed his immortality immensely, but if he was given the choice as a human, he wouldn't have taken it. His life was taken from him by Jasper without his choice and it took him a whole century to come to terms and learn to enjoy the perks of being a vampire.

"I wanted to be changed to be with him forever." she replied. Peter felt his heart pummel into his stomach at her words. Why did that hurt so much? Wait, she had used past tense. _Wanted_. He paused, waiting for her to finish.

"And I still want to be changed regardless. But my future with Edward is… muddled. I don't see how any of us can get out of this without hurting one another."

Bella felt her chest tighten and tears pooling into her eyes. _'Don't cry. Don't cry.' _she said inwardly, but she could already feel them rolling down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, turning away from Peter in mortification. This was supposed to be time for them to get to know each other and she had quickly turned it into a sob-fest. "Sorry." she croaked.

The buzzing on his conscience grew indefinitely louder and more annoying as soon as Bella started crying. He gritted his teeth and scooted down closer to her, slowly reaching out an arm and gingerly touching her shoulder. He desperately wanted to pull her into his lap and never let go, but this would have to do for now. "It's gonna be alright, sugar."

She tensed slightly under his cool touch, but opened her eyes to watch him. "Thank you, Peter." she whispered. Her frown straightened out into a small smile. "I'm usually not this emotional, I promise." she chuckled. Peter couldn't stop the smile that spread on his lips. He thought she was weak, but he was wrong. She was a compassionate individual—a trait that he had found in only a handful of people in his existence. He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before dropping his hand. They were now much closer in proximity, really only a few inches away from touching thighs.

They spent the next half hour in comfortable silence, watching TV. Peter's thoughts continued to drift to the sniffling girl next to him. She was still upset, but was valiantly managing to keep her tears at bay.

"You should get some sleep." he said in dulcet tones. Her eyes were already starting to droop.

"I need to call Charlie first." she yawned, glancing over at the clock on the wall. It was well into night now. Peter could only assume that 'Charlie' was her father.

His phone beeped with a text message and he quirked a brow as 'Alice' flashed across the front. "Wait a second, Isabella." he said, flipping his phone open to read the text. Bella paused, wondering if she should correct him. Everyone knew she preferred 'Bella', but her full name sounded incredible coming out his mouth. The way he said it sounded like a caress, a bare whisper. She decided it was okay for him to call her that—just him.

**I took care of Charlie. Bella is spending the night. We'll be back in an hour. Get her to bed. **

**-A**

Bella scooted closer to him on the couch, peering over his shoulder to read the text from Alice. "She always takes care of everything." she chuckled. Peter tensed when she suddenly lost her balance and nearly toppled into his lap. He heard her breath hitch in her throat, but his spine tingled pleasantly at her warmth. He couldn't stop his hand as he snaked behind her, resting on her hip and steadying her from falling across his lap. She was slender and felt almost frail in his arm, but her skin was deliciously warm even through her clothing.

"So human." he muttered, that signature smirk playing across his lips again. She was leaned fully against him, her cheeks blazing red.

"Sorry." she gasped, still too frazzled to move.

"I'm not." he replied with a shrug. Still, he released her from his cool grip. Bella couldn't stop herself from comparing Peter and Edward again. Edward had always taken such a possessive hold on her when they were together, but Peter's touch was feather light and gave her goosebumps. And though his touch was almost weightless, it was strong enough to hold her still in her always-present clumsiness.

"I should get to bed." she said quickly, changing the subject and hopping off the couch. "Peter?" she asked. He gave her his full attention, standing as well. "… I'm glad we could talk alone." she said, her blush returning full force.

"Me too, sugar." he replied, again fighting against his body to move forward and wrap her into a hug. "Sleep well."

She nodded, already yawning as she made her trek upstairs. He assumed she was taking Edwards bedroom and then bristled at the thought. He didn't want her to smell like _him_, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He listened to her shuffle through the room, use the bathroom, and then finally crawl into bed. Her breathing slowed and she was asleep within minutes.

* * *

Edward was chomping at the bit to get back to the house. The only reason why he had even been coerced into this hunt was because Alice had warned him of the consequences of not leaving Bella's side.

'_You'll push her away—right into Peter's arms. She needs space to decide what she wants, Edward. Don't get in the way of that.'_ Alice's thoughts flooded his mind. He gritted his teeth, pushing forward deeper and deeper into the forest in an effort to get away from them all. It wasn't that hard considering he was the fastest of the coven.

He relaxed once he was out of their hearing range, his gift barely able to pick up the buzzing of their minds. He ripped through an elk quickly, using more force than necessary to take it down. He needed something to exert his anger on and took the opportunity to smash into the unknowing creature, sinking his teeth into its thick jugular and slurping with greed. It whined and bucked in his hands, but he tightened his grip, crushing it in his arms.

He still couldn't get his frazzled thoughts straight. This new nomad had destroyed everything that Edward had built. Bella was _his_, not Peter's. He wanted desperately to believe that this was all some fluke—that Peter would just disappear and they could return to their lives, but that just wasn't going to happen. Edward pushed on to his next prey, his mind still racing. He and Bella had been arguing the last week about the possibility of changing her. This was something that he decided wasn't up for discussion. The family, including Carlisle, would not go against his will—and he willed for Bella to not be changed. This wasn't a life he would have chosen for himself and he would be damned if she chose it. She was blind, running head on into a world she didn't understand.

Edward made quick work of a deer, his stomach sloshing with fullness. He turned his gaze back towards the Cullen home and started his way back. The thoughts of the family were once again flooding back into his head. For once, he wished he couldn't hear anything. That was one of the things he loved most about Bella—her mind offered him a silent peace that no one else could comprehend. It was a liberating feeling to know that she could always give him silence when he needed it most.

'_Let's head back.'_ Carlisle called to him. He didn't respond, already on the move back to the house. He raced ahead quickly, reaching the house a full minute before the others. He could hear Bella's slow heartbeat and steady breathing from outside, telling him she was asleep. From what he could hear, she was in his room. He smiled at that. At least she hadn't fallen asleep near the nomad. Come to think of it, where was the nomad? Edward honed in, listening for Peter's thoughts.

'_Welcome home, Priss.'_ he greeted. Edward growled lowly, storming into the house.

'_Quiet, you idiot.'_ Peter thought, his eyes flicking up to the room Bella was sleeping in. Edward bristled in anger, his fingers tapping on the granite counters of a table, cracking the surface. He tried to listen in deeper—to find what had happened during the last hour, but Peter was more skilled than he had expected. The nomads mind was wild, jumping from thought to thought. It was disorienting, to say the least and made him exceedingly more annoyed.

"Something wrong, Princess?" he asked lowly, a wry grin spreading on his lips.

"No, not at all." Edward replied, a sly smile spreading on his lips as well, "… but I'm feeling a bit tired. I think I might just go spend some time _in my room_. Have a lovely evening, Peter." he said, turning his back and heading straight up the stairs towards Bella. Peter stiffened at that, his gift practically punching him to do something fast. He growled, his feet already beginning to push him forward to follow the Mind Reader.

"Don't, Pete." Jasper's voice called from behind. Peter snorted at his luck. They had to come back just at that moment. He stopped in his step, turning back to face the Major and the coven filing in behind him. "You need to feed." he then said, glancing over at Carlisle.

"Of course. I've taken the liberty of confiscating blood bags from the hospital for you, Peter. I understand it's not fresh, but…"

"It's fine." Peter cut him off, waving a hand in slight dismissal. "I'm sure it tastes better than what you sink your teeth into anyway, doc."

Carlisle chuckled, shrugging an indifferent shoulder. "Well, let me grab those for you." he said, disappearing into his office. Rosalie said nothing, nearly shouldering her way through Peter as she made her way to her bedroom. Emmett followed closely, patting the nomad on the shoulder as he did so, his eyes slightly apologetic.

"I'll make Bella something to eat." Esme said, excusing herself to the kitchen. Alice and Jasper remained, their eyes watchful.

"How did it go?" Alice asked, her bright golden eyes hopeful. Peter shrugged, his eyes flicking up to Edward's room. A smirk spread on his lips.

"I haven't been around a human voluntarily in over a hundred years," he started, his grin widening, "… but I'll be damned if she doesn't have the warmest body I've ever touched." he said, wiggling his fingers in the air and winking at the couple. The hiss from Edward's room was loud enough to scare off the deer nearby. Alice openly gaped at the nomad, her eyes clouding over as she viewed through the next few minutes. Jasper was desperately trying to hold back his laughter, but Emmett didn't. From their room, Peter could hear another loud thwack from Rosalie's hard palm.

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

_Previously: "I haven't been around a human voluntarily in over a hundred years," he started, his grin widening, "… but I'll be damned if she doesn't have the warmest body I've ever touched." he said, wiggling his fingers in the air and winking at the couple. The hiss from Edward's room was loud enough to scare off the deer nearby. Alice openly gaped at the nomad, her eyes clouding over as she viewed through the next few minutes. Jasper was desperately trying to hold back his laughter, but Emmett didn't. From their room, Peter could hear another loud thwack from Rosalie's hard palm._

* * *

"Who's up for a baseball game?" Alice chirped, her golden eyes turning towards the darkening skies.

A week had passed since Peter's arrival and the Cullen's had calmed slightly since the first encounter with their new visitor. Alice had somehow managed to talk Charlie into allowing Bella to stay over most of the week, allowing Peter to keep the edge off of his physical need to be close to her and also giving Edward peace of mind knowing Peter wouldn't ever be alone with her. Bella, being the peace maker she was, had decided to room in a spare guest room, away from both Edward and Peter. Any other way would have ridiculous amounts of jealousy flung around and burden Jasper.

Bella had steadily become closer to Peter during the week, though they rarely had moments of privacy to talk. She didn't know what she felt for Peter yet. He made her feel inexplicably safe and comfortable, but there was again an all-consuming need to always be close to him. To Edwards chagrin, Alice insisted that he stay out of the choices she made to spend time with the nomad. The future was constantly shifting and she still couldn't get a read on who Bella would eventually choose to spend eternity with, but if Edward impeded on their bonding time the resulting future was always disastrous.

Emmett perked up at Alice's question, a wide grin spreading on his face. "Aw, yeah! We haven't had one in a while. When?" he asked, the rest of the family nodding in approval. Peter glanced at Jasper with a curiously quirked brow. The Empath shot him a hard glare, earning a low snicker from the nomad. Peter grinned ruefully, shrugging his shoulders with a nod. This was the Major—someone who could put him on his ass in less than a second, but had seemingly softened in his years with the Cullen's. He wondered if the hardened God of War was still buried beneath the layers of crap that had built up over the years, but he shook his head inwardly. Alice had definitely changed Jasper for the better, it seemed. For the first time, Peter could see real emotion in Jaspers eyes—his _own_ emotions, and not someone else's.

"Now. By the time we get there, the thunder will be at its peak." She replied. The family shuffled, returning to their rooms to change for the impromptu ball game. Bella was begrudgingly whisked away by Alice to try out some 'cute new baseball outfit'.

Peter was content with standing in his spot, waiting for them. But something happened—something he wasn't expecting. That stupid fucking niggling was back, tingling down his spine unpleasantly. Something was very wrong_._ Every fiber of his being told him not to go to that clearing and play ball, but to take Bella and _run_ as far as possible. He growled lowly, the buzzing in his conscience growing in volume as the seconds ticked away.

"Peter, I know that look." Jasper said, stepping down the stairs with an intense golden gaze, "… what is it?"

"She can't go to that clearing." Peter replied with gritted teeth, his feet already starting to head towards Bella—towards the center of his very existence. Jasper's brows furrowed in mild confusion at Peter's blatant sureness, but he knew better than to go against the nomad. If there was one thing he trusted fully, it was Peter's gift. He just _knew_ things and Jasper had learned from experience that it was always bad to bet against him. "Everything is telling me to take her and fucking _run_, Major. Something big is coming and I'll be damned if I let anyone take her there. No. Fucking. Way." Peter bit out as he knocked hard on the door to get Bella.

The coven had obviously heard Peter, quickly appearing from their rooms. Peter ignored them completely when Bella opened the door, still wearing her old clothing. Alice was busy sitting on the bed, searching for any sign of trouble within the next hour. "Ally." Peter called, but Alice put up a hand to quiet him as she continued to search.

"This is ridiculous. She doesn't see anything." Edward cut in behind Peter, already reading through Alice's visions. Alice sighed, her eyes clearing up and gazing at Peter steadily. "He's right, Pete. I don't see anything."

"And I'm telling you that something is wrong." He snapped back, his temper already rising.

"Wait, what? What's wrong?" Bella asked, stepping beside Peter as she spoke to him.

"He doesn't know what's wrong, Bella. It's just some feeling." Edward replied to her, his hand already snaking around to grasp her wrist and pull her away. She winced slightly under the pressure on her wrist. Peter growled lowly, his hand snapping forward at breakneck speed and gripping Edward's forearm. Edward dropped Bella's wrist immediately, meeting eyes with the furious nomad.

"No. I trust Peter and his gift. If he says something's wrong, then something is wrong." Jasper said, stepping into the room and standing beside Peter. "It would be best for Bella to stay here with him. He can offer her the best protection of us all. A mate's protection is always the strongest, especially with Peter. He's trained just as well as I am."

Edward bristled at that. Peter shot as much gratefulness to the Empath as he could, a knowing look in his eyes. He and Jasper had been through hell and back together and when the nomad needed him most, Jasper was always right behind him. It was in times like these that he could appreciate having a brother like Jasper.

"What do you think, Isabella?" Peter asked, turning his attention to the beauty beside him. His eyes softened as she gazed up at him, unknowingly already stepping closer to him. Peter obviously seemed to be sure that there was some impending danger at that baseball field and who was she to question it? He was rugged around the edges and too blunt sometimes, but had been overall very sweet to her during the week. She felt safe when he was around—even more so than when she was with Edward. She nodded after a moment of thought.

"I trust you."

Peter warmed inwardly, a small smirk spreading on his lips. "Thanks, sugar."

"We should go to the clearing anyway. Let's set up the ball game and play a bit and see what comes." Jasper suggested. Alice nodded, flanking his right. The rest of the Cullen's murmured in agreement, though Edward was on edge. He didn't want to leave Bella alone with Peter, yet again. He could already see a small bond forming between the two, even if they didn't realize it yet. His jealousy was surmounting of all his emotions, dominating the air almost all week. At the same time, he wanted desperately to see what this 'danger' was that could threaten Bella. His curiosity won out in the end and he left with the coven, promising Bella to return quickly.

"Major." Peter called as they were heading out. Jasper stayed behind, turning to face Peter. Bella was busying herself with a quick shower and packing some clothes on Peter's request, just in case.

"Whatever it is that's out there, it's going to come for her. I can fucking _feel_ it, man."

"We won't let that happen." Jasper reassured.

"No, fuck that. If this stupid buzz gets any worse, I'll know something went wrong. And I'm telling you right now that I'm going to high tail it out of here with her in tow." he said, shaking his head and crossing his arms. "Whitlock, I'm warning you right now. You know I won't hesitate to protect her—even if it means crossing the goddamn country."

"I know, Peter." he replied in a low voice, his gaze hard. He already knew what was going to happen, though he didn't say it. He feared this would be the last time he'd see Peter in a very long time. He didn't know what was out there, but the relentless amount of certainty and touch of fear in Peter's emotions had him reeling. It was that same gift that had saved him countless times in the past and he had no doubt that Peter's gift would save Bella as well.

"Brothers." they said in unison, touching forearms. "Until we meet again, my friend. Protect her. Alice and I will be in touch." Jasper said.

"Tell the Pixie I love her." he said with a wry smirk, earning a stiff glare from Jasper.

"Yeah, fucker."

And with that, he left to follow the rest of the Cullen's.

* * *

Bella would be lying to herself if she didn't say she was terrified. She hopped into a quick shower, trying to sluice away the worry and doubt that plagued her emotions. What could possibly out in that clearing that could endanger her? She hadn't even wanted the family to go out there. What if this 'danger' hurt them, too? She could never forgive herself if any of them were injured because of her. Bella quickly hopped out of the shower, stuffing some jeans and shirts into a backpack at Peter's previous request. She could hear low voice downstairs, but they were muffled.

"Peter?" she called softly when she heard the front door click close. They were alone now.

"You alright, sugar?" he asked, his voice suddenly right behind her. Bella jumped, chucking nervously and turning to face him. "Sorry." he muttered quickly, his dark eyes scanning over her quickly. She hadn't noticed before, but it must have been a few days since his last blood bag. The usual crimson tones of his eyes had darkened to a burgundy cherry. He must have been hungry.

"Are you?" she asked in reply, her brows furrowing together in concern. "You looked like you could use a feed." she muttered softly, reaching out and brushing a lock of hair out of his eyes. He tensed, breathing deeply as she pulled away from his face. The scent of strawberries permeated the air, saturating him in her presence. He was indeed thirsty, but it would have to wait. For now, all he could think about was keep her safe. The niggling tingle was still racing up and down his spine and he knew it wouldn't subside until the possible threat had passed. Peter had agreed to wait for word from Jasper or Alice, but he knew that if his gift alerted him any more than it was right now, he would take Bella and run.

"I'm fine." he replied shortly, sighing and glancing over at her backpack of clothes. "Look, if it gets any worse, I'm taking you with me." he said, giving her fair warning.

"Your gift, you mean?" she asked, nervously chewing on her lip.

"Yeah. If it warns me any more than it is now, I'm gonna take you Isabella. We're gonna run."

She paused, shaking her head. "What about Charlie? We can't leave him here unprotected." she countered. "I won't leave him."

"The Cullen's won't leave him unprotected, sugar. It's _you_ I'm worried about. Look, I need you to trust me on this, okay? I need you to stay safe, no matter what that means." he replied, reaching out and grasping her gently by her shoulders. She was extra warm from her recent shower, his cool hands tingling pleasantly against her.

Bella bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering, willing away the tears that threatened to pool into her eyes. He was right. The Cullen's would protect Charlie and she knew Peter would take care of her. She couldn't stop herself, pushing herself against Peter's chest, burying her face into his shirt. He smelled incredible, like leather and cinnamon. Peter stilled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "I'll go with you." she hiccupped, her hands pressed against his chest.

She felt a peck of his cool lips at the top of her head, simple and innocent but very sweet. This wasn't about wooing her or trying to win her over—it was about her protection. It was obvious to her now how much she meant to him. Bella felt a swell in her heart and a fluttering in her stomach she couldn't explain.

"You should try and get some rest. It'll make the time pass quicker." he suggested, gently pulling away from her. She sniffled, nodding.

"Sorry." she mumbled, taking a seat on the bed.

"For what?"

"Getting snot on you."

Peter laughed. It was the most glorious sound she'd ever heard. His laugh was rich and hearty, filled with joy. She found that she was laughing with him, his grin contagious. "Oh, sugar. That's not the worst thing I've ever had on my shirt. Now sleep, sweet Isabella."

"Will you stay?" she asked, yawning. Peter nodded, patting her hand gently.

"I promise." he replied. He paused, wanting to laugh at himself. His gift was a real fucker, after all. It was warning him of this impending danger, but at the same time it wanted him to comfort her to sleep. He would be damned if Jasper or Alice ever caught him doing this. He sighed, conceding to it as he started singing a soft melody to the weary girl before him. She smiled when he started, humming along with him.

"_The dawn is breaking, a light shining through. I'm barely waking, and I'm tangled up in you. I'm open, you're closed. Where I follow, you'll go. I worry I won't see your face light up again. Even the best fall down sometimes. Even the wrong words seem to rhyme. Out of the doubt that fills my mind, I somehow find you and I collide..."_

She was lulled to sleep by the sound of his voice singing sweetly to her.

Peter wasn't even through with the song when she'd fallen into a peaceful slumber. He watched her quietly, taking the moment of privacy to examine her closely. She truly was near flawless for a human. Her skin was pale and unblemished, though there was a small blossoming of bags beneath her eyes from lack of sleep. Her eyes were framed by a thick fringe of dark eyelashes and her lips were full and looked so sweet to him. He sighed, running a hand gently through her mane of dark mahogany hair. "You're going to be the death of me, Isabella."

_Beep! Beep!_

It all happened at one time. Peter felt the all-consuming zapping in his conscience rise exponentially in magnitude. His phone was blaring loudly as well, snapping Bella awake instantly. He nearly broke it in his effort to read the text message from Jasper. He looked up at Bella, showing her the text.

**'Run as far as you can. Leave Bella's phone. Alice will call with details in two hours.' –J**

"Sugar, let's go." he said, quickly grabbing her backpack and ushering her out of the bed. She was still groggy with sleep, but obviously frightened. Neither of them knew what was going on, but Peter knew one thing was clear: Bella was immediate danger and every molecule of his being was screaming at him to protect her, to_ run_. And for the first time in a very long time, Peter felt an emotion he thought had died with the Mexican Wars—_fear_.

/

A/N: Sorry to leave you guys with a cliffhanger, but it would have been way too long if I continued. Please review if you have a moment!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: Neither of them knew what was going on, but Peter knew one thing was clear: Bella was immediate danger and every molecule of his being was screaming at him to protect her, to run. And for the first time in a very long time, Peter felt an emotion he thought had died with the Mexican Wars—__**fear**__._

* * *

"Where are we going?" Bella asked as soon as she was strapped into Peter's truck. They had been on the road for at least a half hour now and he had been mostly silent while they ripped through the road at breakneck speed. He was tense, his gaze focused straight ahead.

He didn't know how to answer her. He didn't really know where they were going, but his gift was still buzzing at him to run in this direction. He was no Demetri; he couldn't track anything to a pinpoint location, but his gift could guide him away from danger almost always. At the moment, it was telling him to just run away, but the fucking tingle didn't tell him _where_. So that was why they were speeding down the empty highway, heading towards nowhere in particular.

"I don't know yet. We just need to keep moving." He replied. His perfect peripherals caught her nod. She gazed out the window of her seat, watching endless trees and greenery pass them. "You should try and get some sleep again, sugar. I'm sorry we had to leave so… abruptly." He muttered, grasping for words. Though he would never admit it, he really did feel a bit guilty for yanking her out of slumber so quickly. She yawned right after he mentioned, a chuckle falling out of her lips.

"Yeah, I think I might. Wake me when they call." She whispered, already starting to lull again, "… will you sing to me?" she asked. Peter grumbled inwardly, but he knew he couldn't deny her anything she asked of him.

"Yeah, sugar. Sleep." He whispered. He began a soft croon again, singing along with the soft tunes thrumming from the radio. Bella was, once again, asleep within minutes. Jasper had mentioned to him before that she always had trouble sleeping at night, but not once since Peter had arrived had she any issues. Even now she seemed to be in a deep, dreamless slumber. It was comforting, but also made him slightly envious. If he missed anything about being human, it was the sleep. The closest thing he could get to sleep was a deep meditation and even that was difficult when his senses were so heightened.

Another half hour passed with quiet ease and the buzzing in his head had dulled to a low hum, comforting him for the moment. Bella had curled up in her head, her head lulling onto her shoulder. He sighed, quickly taking off his parka at vampire speed, one hand still on the wheel of the car. He draped the thick material over the sleeping girl. She shifted slightly, a small smile spreading over her full lips. He tried to ignore the flutter in his heart when she seemed to breathe more deeply, cuddling up under the makeshift blanket of his coat. Gently, he ran a hand over her head, brushing her mahogany tresses out of her eyes.

A small annoying beep alerted him that the car was nearly out of fuel. He grumbled lowly again, quickly turning off the road into a small rusty old turnout with one small gas station and mini mart. Bella stirred slightly in her seat, but didn't wake. He slowed, noting there was only one other car in the lot fueling. He could smell the blood of the owner in the mini mart and it fueled the burn at the back of his throat. There was another body in there, probably just the cashier. It was a younger scent and more enticing than the other human. The blood bags from Carlisle had sustained Peter, but they were a poor substitute for the real thing. He sighed, climbing out of the car and putting a baseball cap on, pulling it down low to cover his now onyx gaze. He pulled out a few bills from his wallet, locking the door behind him and heading straight to the mart.

"Good evening, sir." A teenage girl greeted him as he stepped in. Her breath caught in her throat though when she caught an eyeful of his form. He heard her heartbeat quicken and he fought against the instinct to lure in his prey with his dulcet tones and near perfect body. She was a cute little thing with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, but her beauty paled in comparison to the creature sitting in his own car.

He nodded at her greeting though, averting his gaze from the girl as he grabbed a bottle of water and a packaged sandwich for Bella. The owner of the other vehicle was standing in the back of the mart. Peter could smell the alcohol and sweat reeking from the gangly man's body, but chose to ignore it altogether. The buzzing was growing again and it made him uneasy. He needed to fuel and get back on the road. He quickly paid for the gas and the food, avoiding the girl's intensely heated gaze the whole time, warring with the monster inside that was begging for her blood. "E-enjoy your day, sir." She whispered.

Oh, how he wanted her blood. It would be as easy as 1, 2, 3. He could smell the fresh blood pumping through her healthy veins, thick and warm. His control was exceptional, but he knew he was pushing it. It had been a few days since his last feed on a blood bag and even then, it hadn't been enough. But he refused to take the blood of an innocent girl. He fed only on the dying or the deserving, and so he turned away the thought of ripping into the flesh before him.

"Ma'am." He said with a nod, tipping his cap as he grabbed the items and made way for a quick exit. It was then that he heard the click of a gun, the _zing_ in his spine ripping through his body. It was a familiar feeling that took him every time he hunted. It helped him decide who he would feed on—and his next victim would be this slob of a man. He didn't need to turn around to know that the idiot in the back of the store was actually trying to rob it.

'_Perfect timing.'_ He thought with a wide smirk, taking in a deep breath. The girl was exceptional, but the man would have to do for now. He shot a glance over to the frightened girl. Apparently, the man was so drunk he thought Peter had left already, but the nomad was still standing at the door. He listened first for Bella, noting she was still very much asleep in the car. He placed a finger up to his lips to silence the girl. She nodded fractionally, frightened out of her mind as she stared down the gunman.

"Git the money out!" the man roared with foul breath. The girl scrambled, her hands shaking as she struggled to open her register. Peter was on him before the man could make his next move. He gripped the slob's forearm holding the gun, crushing the bones with ease. The man howled in pain, dropping the gun immediately. Peter picked it up, tucking it into his pants. He glanced over at the terrified cashier.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't mention this to anyone, Beth. I'm gonna take our friend here out for a walk. He won't be botherin' you anymore." He said in a voice smoother than glass, his name flicking to her name badge. He laid on the southern twang thicker, knowing that it had done him well in the past with the ladies.

She nodded quickly, her heart fluttering at his words. He smirked inwardly. Oh yes, he definitely still had it after all these years. He picked up the sobbing mess at his feet, dragging the man out with ease by his collar. It was sheer luck that no one had passed by and seen them yet and he thanked whatever God was out there that Bella had also yet to wake.

He took the simpering man to the back of the lot behind the mart, glad that there was still thick forest surrounding them at the moment. He would be able to leave the body under the dirt after he was done with it.

"P-Please, don't hurt me man! I'll leave, I swear!" the man begged. Peter grinned ruefully at him, shrugging.

"Sorry, bud. Usually I'm not so callous about my feeds, but you're convenient and I happen to be very fucking hungry." he replied. Without hesitation, he sunk his teeth into the thick jugular of the man. The human's screams were muffled by Peter's hand, slowly ebbing to gurgles of pain while he was drained of blood. Peter made quick work of his meal, licking the blood off his fingers when he was done. He felt minutely better and his eyes were back to a vivid red for the time being. The body was easily buried and hidden deep into the forest. Peter made his way back to the car just a few minutes later, Bella still sleeping soundly in the car as he fueled and made way back out onto the road.

He cursed himself inwardly, glancing at the time. He'd wasted an extra ten minutes taking his fill and the buzzing was back at full magnitude. They were back on the run from something he still wasn't sure of and the fear crept back up into his emotions. Fear not for him, but for Bella. The sleeping girl shifted once more in her seat, cuddling deeper into the thick parka draped over her.

Another hour passed easily while they drove, Peter focusing on the music thrumming from the radio to try and distract his mind from the worst case scenarios. What could they have found for the Major to tell him to run with Bella? He knew it was bad, but how severe would it be? What would he have to sacrifice to save his mate? He sighed, glancing over at Bella once more. She was beginning to stir out of her nap.

"They should be calling soon." He murmured quietly, glancing at the time once more. Bella yawned, stretching out her arms and offering him a small smile, her cheeks tingeing pink.

"Thanks for the coat." She mumbled, fingering the sandwich and water beside her. "And for the food, too."

He nodded, too fixated on her cute blush to say anything intelligible. He knew if Jasper was with them, the Empath would never let him live this moment down.

"You fed." She whispered, her dark eyes gazing into his intensely. She was perceptive, he'd give her that. He nodded again, his grip tightening minutely on the wheel. He knew she didn't really approve of drinking human blood, but this was his lifestyle. Still he knew that if she asked him to change his diet, he probably would.

"Have you ever tried… you know?" she asked, implying the vegetarian diet.

"No. It's not something I've ever been interested it. I'm a vampire, Isabella. I feed on humans and refraining from the one thing that satisfies me wholly is not something I have ever looked forward to."

"Jasper tells me that you choose your feeds based on their pasts. You gift tells you, doesn't it?" she asked, her tone not condescending or judging in the least. Peter was surprised, but nodded at her inquiry.

"Yeah. It guides me towards the scum of the humans and I am more than glad to take care of them." He replied, his lips curving into that smirk she'd come to enjoy. Even after seeing it so many times, it still made her belly unfurl with heat.

"So when you fed earlier—"

"He deserved it, sugar. Trust me." He replied, his gaze flicking over to the sandwich in her hands. She nodded at his response, not pushing any further before she tucked into her sandwich. They sat in amiable silence once more, just listening to the music as Peter sped down the road.

_Ring! Ring!_

Peter picked up the phone at lightning speed. "Pixie." He greeted. Bella turned her alerted gaze towards the nomad, watching in anxious silence as Alice filled him in. His expression turned from uneasiness to an unadulterated anger, his eyes pitching straight to a steely charcoal black. She watched as he practically crushed his steering wheel, his fingers imprinting into the leather.

"Peter?" Bella whispered softly, breaking the vampires gaze from the road. He glanced over at her, his gaze softening minutely. He pulled over to the side of the road, still on the line with Alice.

"Where?" he asked softly. Bella heard a low thrum on the other line, Alice's soft voice replying to him. Peter nodded, sighing heavily in his seat. "Fine. Call me when it's done." He handed the phone over to Bella, his gaze not meeting hers.

"Edward." He said as explanation. She took the phone from him, pressing it to her ear.

"_Bella? Are you alright, love?" _he asked. Peter cringed at the Mind Readers voice, the sound grating to his ears. He really didn't like the younger vampire. Even if Bella wasn't his mate, he doubted that he and Edward would ever be on amiable terms. The younger immortal was rash in his decisions and decidedly stupid on all counts. Bella was his singer, but he insisted on testing his control with her every day—a definite cause for concern. He could kill her at any moment and he knew it, but he pretended that it was all okay. It was some sick game Peter couldn't understand and refused to take part in. They could all sit there and assume that Edward had complete control, but Peter's gift told him differently. One day, Edward was going to crack; and on that day, Peter would be there to protect her.

"I'm fine. Peter has been with me the whole time." She reassured. Peter smirked at that, already picturing the look of anguish on Edward's perfectly sculpted face.

"_Bella, I was so stupid. I'm sorry about all of this, but I promise you we're going to find them and destroy them all."_

Bella perked at this, a look of confusion crossing her face. "Wait, Peter hasn't filled me in yet. What's happened?"

"_We crossed by three nomads during the game. They were just passing through, but… I'm so sorry Bella. I had forgotten that you left some spare clothing in my car and their leader caught wind of your scent. He said he wanted you and I… my temper got the best of me. He's a tracker, Bella; he's coming after you. I'm so sorry, love."_

Bella froze in her seat. "W-What about Charlie? Edward, go to my house and protect Charlie!" she exclaimed. Again, Peter found himself surprised by his mate. She was in immediate danger, but her first instinct was to protect her father. He felt a swell of admiration in his chest. She was special, indeed.

"_Bella, don't worry. Emmett and Rosalie are at Charlie's as we speak. He won't be harmed, I promise love. I love you, Bella."_ Edward whispered over the line. She paused, biting her lower lip.

"I know you do, Edward." She replied. The silence on the line was deafening. Bella hung up before he could reply, tears again pooling into her dark brown eyes. Peter was again taken by surprise. They had been exchanging 'I love yous' all damn week, but this was the first time that Bella hadn't responded equally. Was the mating bond finally taking a toll on her as well? Peter had realized it just a few days into meeting Bella that all ties to Charlotte had been whisked away. He had accepted it gratefully, glad to be rid of the pain that riddled his heart, but Bella hadn't. She had clung to the possibility of Edward and her working out in the end. She must have felt the ties beginning to loosen, too, but now it was clear. She didn't know whether she loved Edward anymore and it gave Peter a fighting chance to take her for his own.

"What now?" she whispered in a crumbling voice. Peter took back the phone, shoving it into his pocket.

They only had a few minutes to spare—Alice had told him to keep moving. This other nomad, _James_, was an exceptional tracker. He would be on their tails every second unless they kept moving. "We're going to stay on the road and drive nonstop until the Cullen's can get rid of James. They're on the move right now, Isabella. Don't worry, sugar. You're going to be fine, I promise." He replied, his hand coming down onto her shoulder. She nodded, leaning into his cool touch.

"I'm so worried for Charlie and for the Cullens. What if they get hurt because of this?" she asked.

"It won't come to that." Peter reassured. He wasn't so sure of his answer, but he desperately needed to console her. "Look at me, Isabella. We are all going to be fine. I swear if this fucker dares to come close to you, I'll rip off his goddamn head, okay? We're going to be _fine_."

She took a deep breath, nodding. It was a terrifying situation, but she felt minutely better next to Peter. His words were warm and reassuring; again, she felt that flutter in her heart. Peter was quickly becoming a close friend and possibly something more—but that would have to wait. For now, she would have to put her ultimate trust in him to keep them safe. And for some odd reason, she was absolutely okay with that.

* * *

A/N: I know it's only been a day, but you guys are so awesome with all the follow, favs, and reviews that I figured I should just throw this up early. Thanks so much for all the feedback! Please keep it coming, 'cause reviews = more chapters.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: She took a deep breath, nodding. It was a terrifying situation, but she felt minutely better next to Peter. His words were warm and reassuring; again, she felt that flutter in her heart. Peter was quickly becoming a close friend and possibly something more—but that would have to wait. For now, she would have to put her ultimate trust in him to keep them safe. And for some odd reason, she was absolutely okay with that._

* * *

Bella couldn't remember how long they'd been on the road now. She'd lulled into sleep a few times, waking to find daylight or nighttime on the horizon. They only made quick pit stops for her to use the facilities and grab some food, but Peter had refused to let them linger in one area for more than a few minutes at the most. He was constantly tense, his gift still zapping up and down his spine almost painfully in reminder of the nomad trailing them. She'd managed to clean herself in the bathroom daily with a little bottle of shampoo and soap, but it was a far cry from an actual shower. She was dying to get under the familiar hot spray of water.

Jasper would call every few hours to give him updates on what Alice could see of the nomad. James was still tracking them, but came up short since they were constantly on the move. Peter's gift was strong enough to always guide him in the opposite direction of James, giving them the upper hand. As long as they kept speeding down that highway, Peter knew he could evade James. It made him feel cowardly to be constantly on the run; he didn't like to flee from his enemies. If he were alone, he would have gladly stood his ground and faced James and the other two immortals with his head held high, but this wasn't just about him anymore. Bella's future was on the line and if she died or vice versa, the physical pain they would be in from the loss of a mate would be excruciating.

He'd heard about the ordeal first from the Volturi King Marcus. The elder immortal had lost his mate Didyme at the hands of her own brother, Aro. From what he'd heard, Marcus was still in the dark of the reason for Didyme's untimely death, but stayed with the Volturi anyway. Peter suspected Aro had a vampire with a gift so strong to keep Marcus' within the Volturi—to tie him down with loyalty. There was no other way that the immortal would stay otherwise. To this day, it is told that Marcus no longer shows any sign of emotion other than a constant boredom or melancholy gaze. He longed for his Didyme, who was ripped from him so unceremoniously. Even after so many centuries, the pain would never subside or ease. A vampire had one mate in death, just one; losing said mate would destroy their very core. Peter refused to believe that he'd found Bella only to have her taken away so soon, before she could even begin her immortality.

He glanced over at the girl beside him. She was obviously weary from travelling, her body cramped up into the seat for days now. It couldn't be much longer, though. James could only follow them for so long before the Cullen's caught up. They had Edward, Alice, and Jasper. The three of them alone could take out James with their gifts. He knew that Jasper had the ability to knock a vampire unconscious, something that the Empath kept hidden from even Alice. It was a feat that the brothers knew Aro would jump at the bit for. The Volturi was constantly recruiting gifted vampires and the Cullen's had managed to somehow stay under their radar for the time being.

Bella shifted in her seat, stretching her arms out in front of her in an effort to not stiffen up with the long drive. "Why don't you climb into the back, sugar? You can stretch out there." Peter suggested, reaching behind him and pulling her backpack and the small amount of supplies they had out of the way. She yawned, nodding.

"Alright." She sighed, offering him a small smile as she unbuckled herself, slowly climbing between the seats towards the back of the truck. He tried in vain to ignore the swell of her hips as she climbed over the seats, her legs brushing up against his shoulders. He chuckled lightly when she groaned in satisfaction, stretching out completely in the backseat. Luckily she was a tiny thing, able to completely lay flat on her back. She sighed comfortably, staring up at the roof of the truck.

"You know, this road trip stuff isn't so bad." She said softly. He quirked a brow, looking into the rearview mirror to watch her with curiosity.

"Oh?" he asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

"You're not bad company." She replied with a smile. He smirked at her, earning another hot blush. His grinned widened further when her heartbeat fluttered.

"Well, you ain't so bad yourself, sugar." He replied with a lilting southern accent. Her blush grew impossibly redder. His eyes darkened considerably when he smelled her arousal permeating the air. So she was feeling for him, after all. His pants grew uncomfortably tight, but he ignored it. 'Little Peter' could wait until later. Bella was starting to doze off again and Peter turned the radio down slightly, letting her get some much needed rest.

His phone vibrated just a few minutes later. He picked up quickly, Jasper on the line.

"Major."

"_How's she doing?" _Jasper asked. It was quiet where he was, but Peter could hear Alice talking lowly in the background to who he assumed was Edward.

"As well as can be expected. What the fuck is going on? Shouldn't they be dead by now?" Peter asked, keeping his voice as low as possible so Bella could sleep.

The line was silent for a few seconds; the longest seconds Peter had ever experienced.

"_We almost have him. James is going to be at a gas station just a few miles from you in one hour exactly. Alice sees you there. It is one of the best case scenarios."_

"Fine. Let's just get rid of these fuckers as fast as possible. Where do you want me to drop off Isabella?" he asked, excitement already building at the thought of ripping these foreign nomads to pieces. Peter would enjoy watching them burn.

"_With me." _Edward's voice replied to Peter on the line. Peter resisted the urge to hiss at the other male, settling on a low growl instead.

"Why, hello to you too, Princess." Peter mused, glad that his voice didn't betray the anger stewing within. The last person he wanted to talk to was the Mind Reader, but it seemed he didn't have a choice. Edward seemed to have a plan and Peter would follow it to keep Bella safe; however, it didn't mean he would be happy about it.

"_Listen closely, nomad. We don't have much time. You're going to drop Bella off just a few blocks away at a grocery store. I will be there to meet you."_

"I don't remember the Major or the Pixie being so careless, so I assume this is _your_ idea. This fucker is a tracker. He will follow her and abandon that gas station." Peter replied, his gift already warning him that the original plan would fail. It just felt so _wrong_.

"_Well, we aren't going to leave her with you! She'll be mangled in a second and her blood will be on your hands." _Edward snarled back through the line.

"Don't get your panties in a wad, dimwit. May I suggest a similar solution that works with your master plan?" Peter asked, a wide grin spreading on his lips. Oh, Edward would not like this—which only proved to brighten Peter's mood. The line remained silent, so Peter continued.

"I'll be happy to leave her with you, but her scent is what's going to attract James at such a close distance. We need to mask her scent with a foreign one—one he isn't familiar with. And assuming he's already met all the Cullen's, there's only one solution."

There was another pause of silence before Edwards voice came through the line, a deathly whisper.

"_Yours."_

"So it's not all empty in that perfect little head, after all." Peter replied, amusement lacing his voice. Another snarl broke through the line, followed by a loud thwack.

"_Petey, you're a genius." _Alice's voice replied. _"It looks solid. I don't see James turning to follow Bella. As long as you two are able to exchange scents, he'll end up tracking you instead of her. Just make sure you don't screw up and mix your scents together. I'll text you the address to the grocery store and the gas station with exact times." _

"One: I'm not a newborn; I can manage switching our scents temporarily. Two: That's right, I'm a fucking genius; remind me to record that later and set it as my ringtone. And three: Once I drop Isabella off, get the fuck out of my way. James is _mine_. Whitlock and the others can have the other two nomads."

"_You got it."_ Alice and Jasper replied simultaneously. Peter hung up the line, a grin of relief spreading onto his face. Bella would finally be safe and he could take his revenge on these nomads. He would spare them no mercy, he decided immediately. James and his little friends would _suffer_.

Bella stirred in the backseat when Peter pulled over onto the side of the road. "Wake up, sugar. We're reaching the climax of this fuckfest." He said, gently patting her leg. She roused, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes.

"What's happening?" she asked, taking a sip out of a water bottle and stretching out her sore limbs.

He quickly filled her in, simultaneously reading the text from Alice giving him directions on where to go. Bella nodded when he finished, but her nose scrunched in confusion. "How are we going to switch scents, exactly?" she asked, quirking a curious brow. Peter met her at a level gaze, regarding her closely.

"I'm going to give you a set of my clothes, of course. But to truly have you smell only of me, there is one more thing I need to do, Isabella. I need you to put your trust in me." he replied in a smooth baritone voice, his hand reaching out and rifling through a bag beside her for a set of his clothing.

"O-Of course," she replied, thoroughly dazzled after meeting his crimson gaze,"… I trust you with my life, Peter. I don't know why, but I do. You make me feel the safest—more so than Charlie or even Edward." She admitted, fidgeting slightly in her seat. It made her feel incredibly insecure and small admitting this to him, but it was so true. A part of her felt like she needed Peter to be comfortable and she wanted desperately to blame it on this stupid mating bond, but it wasn't just that. Peter, regardless of the bond, was an immortal she felt that she could connect to on another level completely. He didn't regard her as a child or put her up on some pedestal like the Cullen's did. Even her clique at school made her feel inferior. She was still the 'new girl' and they made damn sure she knew it 24/7. Peter treated her as unequivocally equal and it felt good to not feel out of place for once.

"I'm going to cut you for a few drops of blood to smear onto my clothing." He said, watching her reaction. She didn't seem to be frightened, already nodding along with him. "And I'm going to seal the wound with my venom. It's potent and James won't mistake it for anything else. You need to be absolutely saturated in _me_. It's the only way to make this work."

"Okay. How do we get your venom out?" she asked, anxiously twisting a lock of mahogany hair between her fingers.

"It's in my saliva, sugar. No need for extraction." He replied with a grin. She chuckled nervously, nodding.

"Won't the venom change me?" she asked, not sure whether she wanted it or not.

"No. I would have to push my venom into your bloodstream for it to be effective. I'll just be licking over the wound to heal it instead."

She nodded, satisfied for the moment with his answers before turning to the pile of clothes beside her. "Should I change first?"

"Let me take a few drops of your blood first. I hear you're a little clumsy and we can't afford to spill any." He said in a teasing tone. She blushed, nodding and climbing out of the car. Peter followed, leading her around to the side of the truck that avoided traffic. It would be rare to have a car out this late, but he didn't want to take any chances.

Bella stilled, her back pushed up against the cool metal of the truck. Peter placed a hand on either side of her, boxing her in. His scent overwhelmed her—that familiar leather and cinnamon mix that made her head reel. Strawberries invaded Peter's senses and he leaned in, inhaling deeply. "Sweet Isabella…" he whispered, pushing her tresses out of the way to reveal a pale, smooth neck. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Her heart was beating wildly, but she nodded. She didn't feel frightened in the least, but strangely excited. Peter had never been this close to her before and it made her toes curl in anticipation. The space between them was only inches apart and she wondered minutely if he would feel the warmth of her skin from that small distance.

"This is gonna sting." He whispered into her ear. His hand flicked up to her neck, one fingernail running over her soft skin. It indeed stung, but wasn't even close to being as painful as she thought it would be. She'd experienced way worse before. She could feel blood beginning to trickle from the scratch on her neck. Peter's deft fingers caught the ruby droplets, coating each digit carefully. "You alright, sugar?" he asked in a distinctly huskier tone. She turned her gaze to meet his darkening onyx eyes with a nod.

"Are you?" she asked softly. He nodded in reply, that familiar smirk spreading on his perfect lips.

"I don't wanna eat you, if that's what you're asking." He replied.

"Your eyes are black." she said, watching as he backed off just a few inches to smear her blood over his shirt and pants. He ran his hand over his neck, smearing the remainder on his skin.

"Not from hunger." He replied gruffly. She bit her lip, blushing heavily at his reply. He chuckled deeply, leaning back in towards her neck. She gasped at the sudden movement, pressing back further into the truck.

"Stay still. You can't press against me, alright sugar? It'll mix the scents and ruin this whole plan." He whispered. She pinched her eyes shut, biting her lower lip hard enough to break skin when his cool tongue lapped at the cut on her neck. She could feel the scratch closing and healing under his tongue. It felt so _divine_, she thought. She had to resist the urge to moan or press herself against him as he tended to her miniscule wound. Even when it was closed, he continued to suckle on her neck, coating it in his venom.

"P-Peter…" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as he moved to the other side of her neck, running his tongue at the base of her throat. He practically _purred_ against her skin, pulling away and once again meeting her eyes.

"You're bleeding." He whispered, his steely gaze trailing down to her bitten lip. Her heart quickened even further, beating rapidly. She didn't know whether it was the adrenaline pumping through her veins or the fact that he was so damn _close_, but it gave her a small ounce of confidence.

"I guess you should heal that, too." She whispered back to him in a firm voice. Peter didn't need a second request. His lips came crashing down upon hers in an instant, capturing her in the most heated kiss of her life. His lips were surprisingly soft and his tongue was even softer yet as it caressed her cut, healing it within seconds.

Peter didn't know if he'd ever tasted a human as sweet as Bella. Her blood was distinctly delicious on his tongue, but he didn't feel the need to take any more of it. Such was a mate's bond and he was damn glad that he didn't feel the urge to kill her. Her lips were even softer than the milky skin on her neck, moving perfectly against his. He had to dig his hands into the metal of the truck to stop himself from wrapping her into his arms and pulling her closer. The searing kiss came to an end all too quickly when she parted for air, heaving heavily. Her lips were swollen from the intensity of it, slightly bruised. He reached his hand over to her mouth, gently running just his thumb over them.

"Wow." She whispered, her knees almost buckling under her quivering weight.

"Yeah. Wow." He whispered back, lips curving into a smirk.

_Beep! Beep!_

They were immediately snapped back to reality when a text from Alice came through to Peter's phone. He snatched it up, reading it quickly.

'**We're waiting for you. Get her changed and for the love of God, try not to ravish her on the way over.' –A**

"Fucking imp." He growled, thoroughly annoyed. He turned his attention back to the Goddess beside the truck, sighing heavily. "Get dressed, sugar. We've gotta go."

* * *

A/N: Phew, that ended up being longer than I anticipated. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review if you have a moment (:


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

A/N: I think there may have been a little confusion in terms of which Cullen is where at this point in the story. Emmett and Rosalie are guarding Charlie; everyone else is with Edward. I just wanted to clear that up before you continue reading.

_Previously: __**'We're waiting for you. Get her changed and for the love of God, try not to ravish her on the way over.' –A**_

"_Fucking imp." He growled, thoroughly annoyed. He turned his attention back to the Goddess beside the truck, sighing heavily. "Get dressed, sugar. We've gotta go."_

* * *

Edward could smell Bella's blood before he could see her. Her scent was permeating in the truck, the potency of it making him reel back in hunger. He watched in silence as they pulled up to the store, parking in a shadowy area far away from any other cars. Edward headed over; Alice, Esme, and Carlisle on his heels. Jasper stayed back, still having some trouble being around human blood.

"Son." Carlisle said in a soft voice, his warning tones blatant. He didn't want Edward to lose control. It was obvious that Bella had spilled a little blood to enhance her scent on Peter and though it was dried, it was still absolutely enticing.

"I'm fine." He snapped back, stopping in front of the truck. Bella was climbing out, her whole body dressed in Peter's clothing. Her hair was tucked under a baseball cap and she was cocooned in his parka. Edward reached out to her, taking her hand and pulling her in closely. He leaned down, gingerly sniffing at her. He scrunched his nose faintly as the scent of Peter invaded his senses. It reeked from her, more so from her neck than anywhere else. Edward didn't want to even begin guessing at how the nomad had managed to swath her in his scent so completely. He could even smell Peter on her breath, which only fueled the annoyance and jealousy in his undead heart. What exactly had happened in that truck?

"Bella, love. Are you alright?" he asked softly, gently running a hand over her cheek. She nodded, offering a small smile and greeting to the rest of the Cullen's. They all made a point to avoid touching her and muddling her temporary cover. Even Edward had refrained from pulling her into a hug and settled for holding her hand instead. She shifted uncomfortably, turning to face Peter. He stood beside her, his arms crossed. She almost laughed at the scene unfolding before her. He looked like he'd stepped out of some macabre film, smears of blood over his neck and his clothing.

Edward's hand tightened on hers minutely, only intensifying that oddly uncomfortable feeling blooming in her chest. She'd just had the most intense kiss of her life with Peter and here she was, holding Edwards hand. Hell, her lips were _still _tingling from Peter's touch. Guilt overrode her emotions and she immediately pulled her hand out of Edwards. He glanced at her in slight confusion, but turned his attention back to Peter.

"Right, I'm gonna take Whitlock, Ally, and the good doctor. You and Esme will stay with Isabella." he directed immediately, nodding over to Jasper who was slowly approaching with his breath held.

"Esme should go, too." Edward said in protest. Peter's hairs stood on end at that request and he shook his head in reply.

"No. It feels wrong. Besides, it's four against three. We have more than enough to take out those fuckers and Bella could use the extra protection in case something goes wrong."

"You're going to go off of this 'feeling' you get? It's not even really a gift! You could use another set of hands there. James isn't stupid like the newborns you and Jasper used to take care of." Edward spat back.

"Edward!" Esme chastised, shooting Peter an apologetic glance.

Peter chuckled at the Mind Readers blatant mistrust, shrugging idly. "This _feeling_, dimwit, has saved the Major and me countless times. If you're as bright as you think you are, you'd just behave and go with the plan. Besides, I've got this _feeling_ that your desire to have Esme join us is less than noble."

Edward remained silent at that, squashing down his selfish desire to have Bella all to himself. The past few days of separation took more of a toll on him than he'd realized. Carlisle and Esme shared a quick goodbye and 'see you soons'.

"W-wait!" Bella exclaimed, resisting against Edward as he gently pulled her towards his Volvo. She didn't want to leave, worry filling her emotions. They were all going to go fight for her and this, in the worst case scenario, could be the last time she'd see them again. Her eyes regarded them all slowly, but lingered on Peter. He met her level gaze with an intensity she'd never seen before.

"I'll come back, sugar. I promise." He said softly. He reached out, gently running his thumb over her lower lip again. She knew it was a reminder—a promise of things to come. She nodded, letting Edward pull her away towards the Volvo. Esme followed them, slightly surprised when Bella chose the backseat instead of sitting beside Edward. She filed in, taking a seat next to her 'son', for all intents and purposes.

Bella turned, watching out the back window as Carlisle, Jasper, and Alice took off on foot towards the gas station. They blurred, disappearing before her eyes. Peter climbed back into his truck, but not before shooting her another look of reassurance. He smirked, mock saluting her and then taking off towards the station.

* * *

James could barely contain his anticipation. He had been tracking Bella's scent for days now and it was all coming to an end. The truck she was in would be running low on gas, forcing her to pull over into the gas station he was currently hiding at. Victoria and Laurent flanked his sides, awaiting his orders.

"I don't know about this, James. I'm telling you, there is something about that vampire—the one that influences emotions. I've seen him before...somewhere." Laurent warned.

"It's going to work." He replied in a deathly quiet voice. Victoria purred beside him, an evil grin spreading on her face. "I can smell her approach." He whispered. They watched with ruby eyes as the truck pulled forward into the lot. Indeed, it smelled exactly like the human, but something was off. Where was her heartbeat? James growled, two and two clicking together in his head as he watched an unknown vampire step out of the car.

"Where could the little bitch be?" Victoria hissed softly, all of them continuing to watch the nomad standing seemingly unknowingly outside of his truck.

"He looks… familiar," Laurent muttered, but his breath caught in his throat when the foreign nomad turned a black gaze right over to them, a wide grin spreading on his face. There was something about his gaze that locked Laurent in his spot, fear washing over his entire body. "It's Peter. He and the Empath… I should have known. The Gods of War." He whispered. The first time he had seen Jasper, he'd thought that he'd recognized the empathic immortal, but dismissed it. He'd heard of the Gods of War through the vampire grapevine and had only seen grainy pictures of the two before. The stories he'd heard had been enough to wrack an undetermined amount of fear through him, but now it was clear. He knew James and Victoria didn't stand a chance against the duo and chose to wisely bow out.

"I'm sorry, James. I will not stand against him. It is suicide." Laurent reasoned before turning to leave before Peter could make a move. James growled lowly, turning to hold Laurent in place, but it seemed something else had gotten to the dark-skinned vampire first.

_CRACK!_

And suddenly, the tangled mass of dreadlocks was no longer attached to a body. Laurent's body slammed to the ground, his head resting almost peacefully in Jasper's hands. The Cullen's had arrived and somehow managed to sneak up on them. James now understood—Peter was just a distraction. He had severely underestimated them.

James was the fastest to react, flipping out of his place and taking off towards the forest. Their plans had been foiled, but he would not be dying tonight. He heard the screams of Victoria calling for him, but ignored them completely. She had always been a nuisance and inwardly, he was glad to be rid of her. He had almost reached the skirts of the forest and could almost taste freedom on his tongue, but a strange sadness suddenly overtook his emotions, crippling him almost instantly. It was a dark feeling, all-consuming hate and fury riddled with the worst feeling of loss. It was devastating and tore through his very core, piercing his undead heart and stopping him in his tracks.

"How…?" he whispered in shock, his eyes fluttering and meeting Jaspers before darkness consumed him.

* * *

Peter watched with a smirk from afar as Jasper knocked James unconscious with his gift. In a second he was beside them, lighting the match that would burn the Redhead and Dreadlocks. Alice was holding a mass of wild red curls in her hand, dragging the matching body in the other. Carlisle had a hold on the dark skinned immortal in the same manner, throwing the bodies and heads on top of each other.

"Jazz, why didn't you ever tell you me could do that?" Alice asked, slightly hurt that he'd kept this from her. He turned an apologetic gaze to his wife, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Alice. Only Peter knows about it and I didn't want this part of me known to anyone else… even you. It's a dangerous and powerful talent that I honed in my years with Maria. I've always feared that if word got to the Volturi, they would attack us. Losing you isn't something I'm willing to risk and I'd appreciate it if you two don't mention this to the others." He explained. Carlisle chuckled with a nod. Alice took a moment of silence before nodding, a small smile on her lips.

"Please don't keep anything from me, Jasper." She whispered. He nodded, leaning down and pecking her lips gently.

"Never again, ma'am."

"And James?" Carlisle asked, watching as Peter threw the lit match onto the gruesome pile of vampire parts. A billowing cloud of acrid purple smoke filled the air. Peter turned his gaze to Jasper, a dry smile on his lips.

"The Major and I will take care of our little friend. You two can head back." He replied, waving in dismissal to Carlisle and Alice. "Nice job by the way, doc. I didn't think you or the Pixie would have it in you." He chuckled. Alice's eyes flashed angrily and she stuck her tongue out at the nomad.

"Classy." He chuckled. Carlisle and Alice turned to leave, leaving only three immortals at the abandoned station.

"I think we should try out the 'old ways'… just for kicks." Peter suggested, grinning down at the still body of James.

"Why, I couldn't have recommended any better." Jasper replied with the same grin, a glint of mischief in his glittering golden eyes. Peter recognized it immediately as the old Jasper—the Major he knew and befriended so many years ago.

"Welcome back, Major."

"Just for now." He replied, reaching down and lifting James. "Will you do the honors, brother?"

"Much obliged," Peter replied, gripping James head firmly, "… wake up, fucker." He hissed down to James. The blonde nomad stirred, his eyes fluttering as he regained consciousness. Jasper could practically taste the fear in the air as James realized how dire his situation had quickly turned.

"This is what you get for tracking _my_ mate. Dreadlocks and your redheaded cuntpire are in hell; but you, my fine little friend, are going to experience excruciating pain for _eternity_." Peter whispered before twisting James' head violently.

The sickening crunch of metal twisting apart filled the air as Peter relieved James of his head. Jasper quickly tossed the body into the fire, watching as the plumes of smoke grew steadily higher and higher. "Where do you want to put the head?" he asked, glancing over at his dark haired brother.

"In the forest, where no one can hear his pathetic screams." He chuckled, glancing down at the terrified expression of James. The blonde nomad was bubbling with venomous tears, crying out hoarsely in perpetual pain.

Peter and Jasper buried James' head ten miles into the forest, deep enough that they could barely distinguish his cries of pain through the moist earth. And for the first time in _weeks_, Peter felt the niggling tingle in his spine cease completely. He turned to face his brother, a relieved grin on his lips.

"Let's get you back to Bella." Jasper chuckled, "… Let me guess. You sang her to sleep every single night, didn't you?" he asked. Peter's eyes darkened and he punched Jaspers' arm hard enough to send him reeling into a tree and smash it to bits.

"Oh, you're never living this down, soldier." Jasper laughed as he stood from the rubble of the tree, brushing himself off easily. Peter scowled at him.

"Fuck off, Major. You can run home, for all I care." he snapped before taking off at full speed out of the forest. He could hear Jaspers hoots of laughter all ten miles back to his truck.

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys so much for the explosive response to the last chapter. I'm so glad that this story has such loyal reviewers and followers. Also, I've found a lovely photo of our dearest Erik Odom to post as a cover photo. Mmm, yummy. Please review if you have a moment!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: "Let's get you back to Bella." Jasper chuckled, "… Let me guess. You sang her to sleep every single night, didn't you?" he asked. Peter's eyes darkened and he punched Jaspers' arm hard enough to send him reeling into a tree and smash it to bits. _

"_Oh, you're never living this down, soldier." Jasper laughed as he stood from the rubble of the tree, brushing himself off easily. Peter scowled at him._

"_Fuck off, Major. You can run home, for all I care." he snapped before taking off at full speed out of the forest. He could hear Jaspers hoots of laughter all ten miles back to his truck._

* * *

'_Oh Carlisle… come back to me.'_ Esme's thoughts flooded Edwards mind on the drive to the small hotel room they'd rented. He hadn't wanted to risk taking Bella home in case something went wrong and James somehow managed to survive.

'_I hope they're fine. They'll be fine, won't they Edward? Please talk to Bella. She looks scared out of her mind, sweetheart.' _Esme pushed gently to him, her voice soothing in his mind. He sighed, giving her a miniscule nod. They reached the dusty hotel, each of them climbing out of the car. The receptionist gave him an odd, dirty smile as he escorted both women into the room. He ignored her, closing the door slightly harder than necessary.

"How's Charlie?" Bella asked, taking a seat at the edge of the bed. She pulled Peter's large parka closer around herself, pulling her legs up and under the fleece lined coat and hugging her knees. Her skin under her eyes was dark and bags were beginning to form, signaling her obvious weariness and worry. Esme took a seat next to her, pulling Bella's head gently down onto her stone like legs. The motherly vampire stuffed a pillow between her legs and Bella's head, gently removing the baseball cap and running her fingers through the girl's hair.

"He's fine, dear," she replied in a reassuring tone, "He's absolutely oblivious to the dilemma, as it should be. Rosalie and Emmett are still watching over the house. As for your absence, Alice was able to convince him into letting you take a 'camping' trip with us. He's expecting you back at home in a few days."

Bella nodded in Esme's lap, yawning widely and groaning as the older woman started massaging the base of her neck. "Sleep, Bella. We'll wake you if there's any word, I promise." She cooed. Bella tried to protest, her eyes fighting to stay open, but conceded in the end. She lulled into sleep quickly, Esme continuing to massage her scalp.

"Poor thing… she looks absolutely exhausted." She whispered. Edward nodded, taking a seat in a chair just beside them. He reached out, brushing a lock of dark brown hair out of Bella's eyes.

"Esme, how do you think he did it? The nomad managed to switch their scents so completely that I couldn't even get a trace of Bella's scent when she first stepped out of the door. It's diluted now, but it was potent earlier. Something like that is nearly unheard of in our world." He said quietly.

"_Peter_, Edward. Use his name." she scolded softly, but her honeyed eyes softened at Edward's obvious dismay. "I don't know, honey. The fact is that he did it and it has probably saved Bella. Isn't that enough?" she asked. Edward remained silent, gripping the chair with such force that it began to crumble under his grasp. He was riddled with jealousy and an unadulterated hatred for Peter. More than once now, the nomad had outsmarted him and somehow managed to place Bella under a spell. Regardless of the mating bond, Bella was supposed to belong to only _him_.

As his mind spiraled deeper and deeper into the dark abyss of bitterness, he found himself almost hoping that they had failed—that James had taken care of Peter. With the nomad out of the picture, he and Bella could resume their lives in peace. He sighed, running a frantic hand through his hair. Deep within, he knew right from wrong. He was slowly beginning to let Bella slip through his fingers and right into Peter's arms, but he didn't know how to stop it. Part of him wanted to just accept it and move on, but the darker side of his conscience was screaming at him to _hold on_.

"Peter…" Bella suddenly whispered in her sleep, clutching blindly at the sheets beneath her. "Peter, wait… please…" she begged in her cumbersome slumber. Esme glanced up at Edward to find his expression completely livid. He was practically shaking in the seat, his eyes pitching to a steely, cold black. Bella used to call _his_ name when she slept, but it seemed she had become closer to the nomad than he had anticipated. A growl rumbled deep in his chest and he stood, storming out of the room and outside. The air was biting and cold, but he could barely feel it against his marble skin. The cool wind ruffled through his hair as he cast his gaze out into the distance, peering up with perfect vision at the sparkling sky.

He didn't know how long he had been star gazing and trying to clear his mind when Alice and Carlisle appeared, seemingly unharmed.

"Edward, are you alright?" Alice chirped, poking gently at his shoulder. Edward closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and releasing the breath as slowly as possible. Sometimes the little Future Seer could grate on his nerves just by speaking.

"Fine. Be quiet. Bella is asleep." He replied. Carlisle patted his shoulder once before going into the room to join his wife.

"I'm assuming things went well, then? Where is Jasper and nomad?" he asked, continuing to gaze up into the black sky. Alice shrugged languidly, a small smile on her lips.

"We took care of them. Peter and Jazz wanted James for themselves. We left them almost a half hour ago." She said, pushing the vision of the dismemberment and burial of James' head to Edwards mind. He nodded, slightly nauseated that the duo could be so cruel. It was unusual for him to see this side of Jasper. The Empath looked almost cheerful as they rid the world of James. He wondered if it was influenced by Peter's presence. The banter between the two brothers was undeniable. They were indeed closer than Edward and Jasper had ever been. He found his chest tightening slightly in jealousy at that, too. Did Peter have to have _everything_?

"Edward, you have to let go. If not now, then when?" she cut into his thoughts, her high voice again grating against his ears.

"I'm not letting her go. Bella is my world, my _everything._ I'm nothing without her." He replied.

"You're wrong about that, though," she countered, her voice softening slightly, "… Peter would be nothing without her. She would be nothing without Peter. But you?... Edward, you're just holding them back from each other's happiness. You and Bella aren't meant to be. There is someone else out there for you—someone meant only for you. It's the way our kind works."

"And what of _my_ happiness? Bella makes me feel human again, Alice. I can't give that up." He retorted. He knew full well how selfish it sounded, but it was the truth.

"So you want Bella not because you love her, but because she makes you feel human?" Alice asked, slowly trying to pry into his volatile mix of emotions.

"Of course I love her!" Edward replied, his voice rising in volume. "She's … she's special, Alice. I need her. And I refuse to believe that some power in the universe has decided to take her away from me and give her to _him_. It could have been anybody, Alice, but it had to be _Peter._ He's practically my polar opposite! Maybe I could learn to accept it if she had been mated to vampire with some etiquette or tact, but she's mated to the most volatile, impulsive man in the world.

And to top it all off, her blood… he's spilled her blood, Alice. He was able to smear her blood everywhere and not lose an ounce of control. How is that possible when he eats humans on a regular basis?! It's unfair in the worst way and I want to… I want to _kill_ him for it. I wish that James had ripped him to bits and let him burn with the others. Even having that rampant, murderous nomad after Bella is better than having Peter with her." He spouted, spitting out Peter's name like an expletive. By now, he was practically yelling at his sister, his hands pinned down tightly at his sides so he wouldn't break anything.

Alice regarded him with soft honeyed eyes, not at all afraid of his mini tantrum. Her gaze lowered, flicking behind his back in recognition. Edward froze in his spot, listening to carefully to the thumping heartbeat that stood directly behind him. He had been so angry, so caught up in his fury that he hadn't been careful enough to hear Bella wake. He turned to face her, his face screwed between surprise and mortification. Had she heard it all? The tears spilling down her cheeks was answer enough.

"Bella, please!" Edward called as she spun around, running back into the room and slamming the door right in his face. He growled, his fist hitting the door hard enough to splinter it. "Bella… I'm sorry." He whispered. He didn't bother telling Alice where he was going as he stormed to his Volvo, climbing into it and speeding off to an unknown destination.

The Pixie wasn't worried in the least, though. As soon as he made a clear decision on what he was going to do, she would be the first to know about it. She sighed, opening the cracked door and slipping inside just as Peter and Jasper pulled up to the hotel room in the truck.

Their laughter was loud and raucous as they climbed out of the car, obviously in much better spirits now that the danger was long gone. But just as Peter's feet touched the ground, his spine zinged unpleasantly, the hair at the base of his neck standing on end. "Fucking again?" he grumbled. He could already sense Bella's distress and the grin fell from his lips immediately as he approached the hotel room, Jasper on his heels.

He opened the door to find Bella sobbing softly on the bed, Esme and Alice huddled around her and crooning softly in an effort to calm the human girl.

"What the fuck happened?" he asked, already stepping towards Bella. She looked up as soon as she heard his smooth voice, her eyes red and puffy.

"Peter…" she whispered, immediately thrusting herself into his arms. She didn't care that he smelled like blood or that he was covered in a film of dirt—she needed to be in his arms. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, lifting her with ease and cradling her close.

"What's wrong, sugar?" he asked, sensing out with his gift in an effort to find the source of her distress. '_Jerkward, Fuckward, Edtard, Pansy ass __**dimwit**__!_' his mind screamed to him and he growled lowly. Bella didn't reply to him, burying her face into his chest and squeezing her eyes shut instead. "I'm taking her back to Forks." He announced without any other warning, already stepping towards the door.

"Peter!" Carlisle called before the nomad could make it out of the door. Peter halted only momentarily out of respect for the good doctor, turning to face the golden haired vampire. Carlisle offered a comforting smile and handed him a warm blood bag. "Take care of your thirst, my friend." He said. Peter took the bag with his free hand, shifting Bella easily onto one arm.

"Thanks, doc." He said before leaving the hotel room and heading straight to his car. He didn't know what Edward had said to upset Bella so badly, but he was damned positive he was going to find out. Gently, he placed Bella in the passenger seat. She had, in the short minute that she'd been in his arms, fallen asleep. Before he could even start the engine to the car, Alice texted him.

'**She needs food and a hot shower. Get her home as fast as you can. We'll wait one day—but only one day. Make the most of your time together.' –A**

* * *

A/N: So there's a chapter based mainly on Edward and what's going on in that perfect little head of his. Where do you think he's headed? Don't worry—Peter and Bella will be back in full swing next chapter. Please leave a review if you have a moment!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of the characters used in this fanfiction.

_Previously: "Thanks, doc." He said before leaving the hotel room and heading straight to his car. He didn't know what Edward had said to upset Bella so badly, but he was damned positive he was going to find out. Gently, he placed Bella in the passenger seat. She had, in the short minute that she'd been in his arms, fallen asleep. Before he could even start the engine to the car, Alice texted him._

'_**She needs food and a hot shower. Get her home as fast as you can. We'll wait one day—but only one day. Make the most of your time together.' –A**_

* * *

Peter raced back to Forks as fast as he could, pushing the engine of his truck to its brink. Bella was still sleeping three hours after their departure, giving him time to muddle in his own thoughts. What could Dickward have said to upset her that badly? It was obvious that she had been devastated, but he didn't know if it was even in his place to ask her about it.

'_Of course it's in your place, numbskull, or is she not your mate? As soon as she wakes, __**fix it**__.'_ his mind retorted, his gift manifesting into an annoying voice that sounded almost exactly like Jasper in the back of his head. He groaned, wanting to slam his head into the steering wheel. Since his arrival and closeness to Bella had begun, he'd found that his gift had amped up considerably. Before, it had just been a strange feeling, rarely more than a gentle tingle that guided him with what to do. Now, it was a full blown zap to his core, almost painful as it pushed him in the right direction. And apparently, it now had a fucking _voice_. This couldn't have been healthy. He pondered whether Carlisle would know anything about this little dilemma. He cringed at the thought of having Jasper's voice as his guide for the rest of existence. The Empath was his brother and his best friend, but he would sooner set himself ablaze then listen to the Major's drawl 24/7.

He sighed, reaching over and grasping the blood bag the good doctor had granted him. He popped the cap, taking a long swig of the viscous fluid. It had cooled and tasted a little off, but it would sustain him for the rest of the trip back. He barely glanced at the road signs as they passed through, his crimson eyes focusing mainly on the sleeping girl beside him. It was incredible what vampire sight could allow him to see. Even in his peripherals, he had a clear view of Bella. He could see down to every strand of mahogany hair, count how many eyelashes she had, and even see through her pale skin to the thumping blue veins rushing with hot blood.

He took another long swig of blood, hunger bating him. It had been a few days since he'd fed on that human at the gas station and it was obvious that he needed a real hunt. Bella, though he had no desire to kill her, did have particularly sweet blood. His eyes darkened at the reminder of it, his inner beast wondering if she'd ever let him taste it again. The impure thoughts made his pants tighten uncomfortably and he immediately felt guilt wash over his conscience. She was, from what he could tell, very innocent when it came to _those_ matters. If things worked out as well as he hoped, he would have to ease her into intimacy slowly. Again, he wondered if he would be able to control himself. She was an absolutely beautiful human and would become a ravishing immortal, if she chose to be changed.

His thoughts wandered to her possibility of changing, as well. She had made it clear that she wanted the change, but when was the right time? And would she even want Peter to be the one to bring her to immortality? Carlisle was obviously more suited to change her, but ever fiber in his being told him that _he_ should be the one to do it. It was only natural to have his venom be a part of her forever, but ultimately the decision would be hers. And Peter knew that if she chose Carlisle or even the dimwit Edward, he would bite his tongue and let her do as she pleased. When had this little human wound him so tightly around her finger? Again, he found that though he wished he did, he didn't mind a bit.

'_You love her, jackass. Of course you'll let her do whatever she pleases.'_ His gift chastised, almost teasing as it tore open his true feelings like it was ripping off a fucking band aid. He loved her. Peter groaned at that too, a feeling of fear and anxiety filling him. It was a strange sensation—one that he'd never felt before.

'_Insecurity.'_ it whispered to him and he sighed, the gripping his wheel just a little tighter. He didn't even know that insecurity was a part of his range of emotions, but it now radiated within him. A bit of relief cut through his volatile cocktail of emotions when they had reached the edge of Washington. He was sure Bella was incredibly tired and in desperate need of a proper bed. It was clear she hadn't gotten any real sleep in that hotel room. Just as they passed the state line, she began to stir. He listened as her heartbeat picked up, awareness overtaking her groggy senses. This three hour span of sleep seemed to have done a little good. There was color to her cheeks and she looked more alert, though her eyes were puffy from crying earlier.

She looked miserable, though she forced a smile on her lips when their eyes met. "You're hungry." She whispered, gazing into his dark eyes. He chuckled, shrugging.

"I'm fine, sugar. I'll take a hunt as soon as we get back to Forks."

She tensed at that, her brows knitting together in concern. "But… not in Forks, okay?" she asked. It was obvious she was concerned at the possibility of Peter eating someone she knew. He chuckled, nodding.

"I promise." He replied before reaching out of impulse, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She flushed pink, but didn't shy away from the cool touch of his hand. "Are you alright, Isabella?" he asked in a smooth voice, his head turned completely to face her as he drove. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes flicking to the blurred road in front of them. He was driving so fast she could barely even make out the scenery as it flashed by, but she knew full well that his driving was probably impeccable even at this speed, with his eyes glued to her. Still, it made her cringe in fear. He smirked devilishly at her anxiety, but slowed the car a smidge. It earned him another hot flush and he had to swallow the venom that pooled in his mouth as the sweet scent of strawberries and warm blood fill the car. She was so enticing in the wickedest way that he found his arousal had returned just from her embarrassment.

Bella paused at his question, trying to school her face into remaining indifferent as the memory of Edward losing his cool flooded her mind. She still couldn't believe what he'd said. It had been so unbelievably hurtful and unfair to Peter and her, but at the same time she couldn't help feeling a little guilty. She recognized that Edward was put into a completely unfair position and that he could possibly be losing her. She could understand his jealousy and his frustration. She could even understand his cold attitude towards Peter. But she couldn't—no, she absolutely _refused_—to believe that having James endanger the whole family would be better than having her be close to Peter. It was a ridiculous notion and it made her nauseated just thinking of it.

"Isabella?" Peter's voice cut through her thoughts and she jumped, averting her gaze to her scuffed shoes. She was still wrapped in his parka and she pulled it tighter around her thin frame, sighing heavily. "If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to." He added sharply, though she could easily tell that it troubled him not to know what had upset her so. The truth was she was absolutely terrified of what Peter would do to Edward if he ever learned what the younger vampire had said. And she knew that Peter had every right to explode and destroy Edward for even thinking something like that, but she didn't want anyone to be harmed because of this.

"I'm scared." She whispered so softly that Peter had barely picked it up. He reached out, gently placing a cool hand on top of hers.

"Scared of what, sugar? James is gone and I promise you, he won't be getting back up after what we did to him." He asked in a milder voice, his hand squeezing hers gently.

"No, not that," she whispered, her eyes locking on his hand resting atop hers, "… I'm scared of what you'll do to Edward if I tell you what happened." She admitted, keeping her gaze firmly rooted on his cool hand.

"That bad, huh?" he asked and she simply nodded. His brows furrowed as his gift zinged once more, Jasper's voice ringing in his mind and giving him the answer he was looking for.

'_Dickward is willing to endanger her just to get at you. He's blinded by jealousy.'_ It hissed.

Peter bristled, a growl rumbling deep in his chest as he fought to maintain his composure. They had just crossed into Forks and would arrive at the Cullen home in just a few minutes. He smelled her tears before he could see them. She was sniffling in her seat, wiping furiously at her cheeks as teardrops started to drip and stain Peter's parka. In a thick, crumbling voice she spoke.

"… He would rather have James chasing me then to have me be with you." She hiccupped, but it seemed that now that she'd started, she was determined to finish. Peter gently ran his hand over her arm, giving it a gentle squeeze of encouragement. She needed to vent and he was more than glad to be the person she turned to. Though he had the gist of what had happened, Bella spiraled into gritty detail of what Edward had said exactly.

"He wished he could kill you for taking me away, for taking _everything_ away. He wished that James had won—that James had taken care of you so that he could have everything back to the way it was." She said with thick sobs, burying her face into the wool of Peter's parka. The nomad was practically shaking with fury in his seat, only retaining his equanimity for Bella's sake.

"When did everything become so difficult? I was hoping, foolishly so, that this thing would just work out in the end. But… nothing is fixing itself, Peter." She whispered, her voice broken. "I don't know what to do."

He'd never heard someone sound more defeated than the girl beside him. She slumped in her seat, gazing out of the window with weary, puffy eyes as the Cullen home came into view. He parked, climbing out of the car at vampire speed and opened her door, pulling her into his arms. She didn't object, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his chest. She had seemingly finished crying, content now with staring at the threads of cotton in his shirt as he carried her into the house.

He walked past everything, heading straight up to the guest room that she'd taken as her own. Gently, he laid her down on the bed. She regarded him with intense eyes as he tucked her into the bed, running a hand through her hair.

'_Now's the time, Peter. Now is the right time to tell her what you feel. Do it before it's too late.'_

Peter gritted his teeth, kneeling beside Bella's bed and taking her warm hand into his. This was happening. He would deny it before anyone else, but in this next minute he was going to spill his fucking soul to this human that had captivated him in every way.

"Listen to me, Isabella," He said, speaking for the first time since her confession, "…I'm not going to sugar coat this. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that things are going to be fine. Things are fucked up. I know they are just as well as you or _Edward_ knows." He said, biting out the Mind Readers name like an obscenity.

"But I promise you that whatever happens I will not leave your side. We're in this together, Isabella. I'm sure that you know what I feel for you is clear as day..." he said, his heated eyes swimming in hers. He didn't want to say the three dreaded words that filled his emotions. It was too soon—too close to home for him to admit. Bella didn't need to hear it, though. She could see the affection filling in his eyes as he spoke. It was the softest expression she had ever seen him make and something told her that even Jasper had never seen this side of Peter. Her heart fluttered, butterflies churning in her belly.

"But regardless of what I feel, I will be _whatever_ you need me to be, Isabella. If you need a friend, I will be the shoulder that you lean on. If you need a brother, I promise to protect you forever. But sweetheart, if you need a mate, I give you my oath that you will be—you _are_—the only woman that I will dedicate my very existence to. Whatever comes our way, I promise to always be on your side." He said in one swoop, his voice almost shaking as he practically announced his undying love for her.

Bella was speechless. When had Peter swept her off her feet so completely? She hadn't even realized how close he'd come to her heart in these short days they had spent together. Tears pooled in her eyes and Peter tensed, watching her with concerned and hurt eyes.

'_Oh fuck me, I'm in idiot. She doesn't want it, she doesn't want __**me**__.'_ He thought to himself, moving to get up from his kneel. He couldn't remember ever feeling more crushed then he did in that very moment. But he felt resistance on his wrist and he turned his burgundy gaze back down to the human that had stolen his heart.

He didn't know a human could move that fast—or maybe he was just too surprised. Bella's hot lips were suddenly crashing down upon his and he almost forgot to react. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs wrapping around his middle as she invaded his senses.

'_Smooth move, ex lax.'_ his gift chuckled in his mind, but he ignored it completely as he wrapped an arm around her waist and the other on her thigh, holding her up with ease as their second kiss seared through him. Peter couldn't stop the smile that spread on his lips as she broke for air, breathing heavily. Tears still streaked down her cheeks, but she was smiling back at him.

"So I guess you don't want me as a brother then?" he asked, breaking into easy laughter as she smacked him on the arm. "Just as well… I'm a shitty brother anyway. Just ask Jasper." He chuckled, his lips ascending upon hers once more.

* * *

A/N: Happy Father's day, guys! I added a little fluff for all you romantics out there reading this. Hope you enjoyed the 'sensitive' side to Peter. Please leave a review if you have a moment!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: "So I guess you don't want me as a brother then?" he asked, breaking into easy laughter as she smacked him on the arm. "Just as well… I'm a shitty brother anyway. Just ask Jasper." He chuckled, his lips ascending upon hers once more._

* * *

Bella hadn't felt so well rested in weeks. She stirred from her slumber, awareness creeping into the cloudy haze of her mind. She was in a warm bed—that's right, the guest room at the Cullen home. Things clicked one after another in her gradual cognizance, her mind finally harking back to Peter and all that had accounted within the last few days.

James was gone. James was _gone_.

She felt relief swell through her as the reality of all of their safety finally hit her. She sighed softly, reaching out and stretching her rested limbs, practically mewling in satisfaction as each muscle pulled and flexed in her small body.

"Good morning, kitten." Peter's voice broke through her haze of bleary relaxation. She nearly jumped out of her skin, her heart thudding heavily as her eyes opened to find a bright crimson gaze regarding her with amusement. Hot blood rushed to her cheeks at his new nickname, the blush only becoming redder as she thought back to their searing kiss the night before. Actually, _kisses_. Peter had thoroughly ravaged her mouth, only stopping when it was blatant that though she was aroused, she was dead tired. He had graciously climbed off the bed and pecked her forehead, bidding her a goodnight before going out to an impromptu hunt. She couldn't deny him that—he had obviously been hungry. And though she knew he would never hurt her, it must have been difficult to be around a human with blood as sweet as hers, especially blood that he'd already tasted once.

He looked so enticing sitting at the edge of her bed, almost Godlike with his perfectly sculpted frame. She could see muscle wound taut across his chest, his t-shirt stretched over his marble chest like a second skin. His arms flexed minutely as she continued to blatantly stare at him like he was dinner. She was still thoroughly embarrassed, but for the love of God, she couldn't rip her hungry gaze from him.

"Like what you see, sugar?" he asked in a low, dulcet voice. A knowing smirk spread across his lips as their eyes met again and she felt her breath catch in her throat. She thought Edward was the only one that could do it, but Peter was _dazzling_ her—more so then Edward ever had. Heat unfurled in her belly and her toes curled at his scorching red gaze. He was divine, she admitted inwardly.

"Y-You went hunting." She said, avoiding his question and sitting up in the bed. He gave her a fractional nod, his eyes still twinkling in heated amusement. Oh, he knew full well how he affected her, but she couldn't begin to fathom his want for her. She was, in his eyes, the most radiant creature in the morning. Her hair was mussed from sleep, hanging in a mass of mahogany tangles around her face. She was dirty, unkempt, and so very human; but she was perfect.

"Don't worry. I went well out of Washington," he said, flashing a pearly white grin before nodding over at the restroom, "… take a shower, human. I'll find you something to eat."

She rolled her eyes at him, but the twitch curving at the end of her lips was unmistakable. He was blunt and rough around the edges; so very _Peter_ in that aspect. He just wouldn't be the same without his snide remarks or blatant attitude. She climbed out of the bed, taking off his parka for the first time since they had switched scents on that roadside. It still smelled just like him and she immediately felt less warm without it, but she ignored the chill and headed straight into the bathroom. Peter grabbed the parka, shrugging it back on before turning and heading downstairs.

_Beep! Beep!_

Peter glanced down at his buzzing phone, rolling his eyes at Alice's text.

'**Heat up some of the soup Esme made in the fridge. Don't burn down the house.' –A **

'**Any word on Fuckward yet?' –P**

'_**Edward**_**, Petey. No, he hasn't made a clear decision on what to do, yet. He's very upset about what he said.' –A**

'_**Fuckward**_** matches better. You're wrong, Pixie. He's not upset about what he said, but the fact that she overheard. Trust me on this. I know it.' –P**

'**You're saying he meant everything he said?' –A**

'**Oh, yeah. And as soon as I see his fucking pansy ass face, I'm bashing it in. Bella was completely torn over what he said.' –P**

'_**Was? ;)' –A**_

'**Shut up, runt.' –P**

To his relief, Alice didn't reply to that.

He opened the refrigerator, finding said soup and managing to pop it on the stove and ignite the flame without setting himself ablaze. To this day, he still never grasped the concept of cooking, but that would soon change if Bella was to remain human for a while. He reminded himself to bring up the possibility of changing her as soon as the opportunity presented itself. The soup heated painfully slowly and he busied himself listening to Bella cleanse herself upstairs. It didn't help his already raging desire to take her, but at the same time it was almost relaxing to listen to her. He could hear her steady heartbeat as she sluiced away the dirt and grime from the past week, her clear voice crooning a soft melody.

Peter's thoughts drifted again to the night before, his lips curving into a content smile. It seemed that through the haze of Edward's betrayal and his own confession, she'd made her choice. But what of the Mind Reader? Peter's chest rumbled with growls of anger at the very thought of Edward. When the younger immortal chose to show his cowardly face, he would be answering to Peter first. He was practically rolling with excitement to get his hands on Edward. Usually, Peter refrained from violence at all costs unless it was absolutely necessary, but in more recent days he'd found his usual temperate mood spiked with anger. He had enjoyed taking out James, but he knew he would enjoy even more ripping into Edward. Then again, he also knew Bella wouldn't want violence directed towards the Mind Reader, regardless of what he had done to her. Peter sighed inwardly, turning his attention back to the now boiling soup.

He switched off the stove, his gift directing him to a cabinet full of bowls. He grabbed one, pouring the hot meal into the bowl and grabbing a spoon for Bella. She was already climbing out the shower, toweling off. He shook his head as it filled with images of her wet and naked, willing his virile body to quell its desire for the human upstairs. He listened to her change into a new set of clothes and head straight downstairs. His nose scrunched as he picked up the bowl of soup, the foul smell hitting his senses. He carried it over to the dining table, putting it down and pulling out a chair just as Bella plodded into the room.

Her hair was wet, droplets of water staining the t shirt she wore and sticking to her clean skin. All scents of him had been rinsed away, leaving only the relentless aroma of sweet strawberries. It invaded his olfactory glands, venom filling his mouth quickly. He gulped down his want for her, watching as she smiled gratefully and tucked into her soup. The purr was almost imperceptible, but it was there. She was _purring_ at having a warm meal and the sound shot straight to his groin. He fought the urge to groan, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as he watched her eat.

"Peter?" she asked as soon as she was done, the dishes washed and put away.

"Yeah, sugar?" He replied, meeting her curious gaze.

"What are we, exactly?" she asked and he fought the urge to laugh at her adorable expression. He reached forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What do you want us to be?" he asked in reply.

"I… I don't want us to be friends. And for the love of God, don't ever call me your sister." She started, earning a wry grin from the nomad. "But I don't want to call you my boyfriend. It sounds off—like what we feel for each other is stuck in some kiddy teenage romance. I don't want to put a label on us." She finally sputtered, thoroughly embarrassed of her admittance of her feelings for him.

"We don't need labels, kitten. We're mates—boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife, lovers—it's all the same. As long as we're clear on where we stand, I'm content to be by your side." He replied, earning a relieved, beautiful smile from her. She nodded, crossing the space between them timidly and leaning down to peck his lips. He grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist, returning the gentle kiss.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck.

"We have the day to ourselves before they come back home. We can do whatever you like, kitten."

Bella flushed at his answer, her thoughts immediately jumping to the naughtiest parts of her mind. There were at least a dozen things she could think of Peter doing to her that made her panties slick with heat, but she reeled in the perverted thoughts and settled with picking out a movie for them to watch instead. She'd picked out 'Saving Private Ryan', something that they could both enjoy. Peter seemed enraptured in the film the entire time, his ruby gaze watching the bloody film with almost as much interest as he'd shown Bella. She didn't oppose though, when his arm circled around her waist, pulling her up against his solid form. His eyes flicked over to her when he did so, that mischievous smirk spreading his lips. Bella averted her gaze to keep from blushing, but leaned on him, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. She fought to keep her breathing even as he slipped his thumb under her shirt, making lazy circles on her waist.

She spent the rest of the movie distracted by his cool hands and expert touch, only breaking her concentration on his nimble fingers when his phone beeped. Peter pulled out his phone, his eyes immediately hardening in what she recognized as anger. He released her from his hold, a low hiss on his breath as he showed her the text from Jasper.

'**Your alone time is getting cut short. Alice sees Edward deciding to come back to Forks within the next hour. We're on the way, but he'll beat us to it. Don't do anything stupid, Pete.' –J**

Peter didn't bother replying to the text, irritation bubbling beneath his calm façade. This was supposed to be his time to have decent bonding time with Bella, but it was now going to be foiled by Edward.

"Peter?" Bella whispered. It was so soft that if he didn't have super hearing, he wouldn't have heard it. He turned his gaze to meet her concerned eyes. They were filled with fear, hurt, and worry. His crimson eyes softened as they regarded each other in silence for a few moments.

"You don't want me to hurt him, do you." He said blatantly, the remark coming out as a pointed sentence rather than a question. She sighed, shaking her head and looking down at her hands. She didn't know what she wanted to come of their meeting, but she didn't want bloodshed. Or in this case, venom-shed.

"Hey." He muttered softly, lifting her face and pressing his cool forehead against her gently. This was the closest she'd ever been to his eyes, observing them in a whole new light from her close vantage point. They were the most vibrant ruby, flecked with dark crimson and absolutely piercing in their contemplation of her. "If you don't want me to hurt him, then I won't. But if that fucker comes even _close_ to you, I'm ripping his goddamn arms off. He'll survive." He growled out. Bella's eyes widened in alarm, but she felt almost amusement cut through her worry at Peter's murderous expression. A smile spread on her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck, shifting boldly to sit on his lap.

"My brave soldier." She whispered softly and he growled once more, but this was a guttural sound, primal at its core as he claimed her lips, his hands roaming her back. For the moment, his thoughts were quelled by her warm lips and her tight body straddling his hips. Their tongues met and Peter groaned into her mouth, her tongue almost as sweet as her blood as it tangled with his. She was shifting on his legs, her warm core rubbing tantalizingly against his rock hard arousal. Peter fought the instinct to finally claim his mate, to take her right there on that couch. He warred with the urge to bite her and pump as much venom as he could into her system. It was what he knew would happen eventually, but in a case as fragile as this, timing had to be flawless. And this, he knew, wasn't the right time. Bella soon parted from his lips, breathing heavily.

"You know, if you keep this up Edward's going to walk in on us doing a whole lot more than watching this movie." He murmured, his hands dipping beneath her shirt and circling on her skin once more. She shivered, her cheeks flushed and her lips bruised from their kiss.

"We should get up then." She replied, though neither one of them wanted to really move. Bella was the first to stand, climbing off of Peter with a heavy sigh. "You won't leave me alone with him, right?" she asked, hugging herself and glancing over at the front door as if Edward would come storming through at any second. She smiled when she felt Peter's warm parka draping over her shoulders. She slipped her slender arms into the sleeves, pulling it tightly around herself.

Peter placed a comforting, cool hand at the small of her back.

"Kitten, I'd rather burn."

* * *

A/N: Uh oh, Edward's coming back. What do you think he's up to?


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: "You won't leave me alone with him, right?" she asked, hugging herself and glancing over at the front door as if Edward would come storming through at any second. She smiled when she felt Peter's warm parka draping over her shoulders. She slipped her slender arms into the sleeves, pulling it tightly around herself. _

_Peter placed a comforting, cool hand at the small of her back._

"_Kitten, I'd rather burn."_

* * *

Edward had been ignoring Alice's calls all morning. The phone sitting on the passenger seat buzzed quietly all night long, but remained untouched as he ripped through the roads. He didn't know where he was going yet, which only worked to his advantage. If he didn't make a decision, Alice wouldn't know where he was headed. He wanted to see Bella, but he also knew that wherever Bella was, Peter would be there as well and he didn't know if he could restrain himself in the presence of the nomad.

Edward didn't know what had come over him the night before. He didn't know what it was that had sent him reeling over the edge and further into the pool of hatred towards Peter. He could clearly remember every word he had said and that he had _meant_ all of it. Was it really true that he would rather have James chasing Bella than have Bella with Peter? Yes, he decided. It was better. But that wasn't an option now—James was just a head buried out in that forest and his body had already burned with the others. Edward's thoughts continued to plummet deeper and deeper into darkness, imagining ways that he could maim and set Peter ablaze and steal Bella away. She would understand wouldn't she? Of course she would—Bella loved him, he knew it.

But Peter had the advantage in a fair fight. The nomad was stronger, faster, and Edward could barely read his mind clearly. Every time he tried to probe through Peter's thoughts, he found that the nomad's mind split into jumbled thoughts all at once, creating major disorientation. Peter must have known that he was capable of evading Edward's gift and it only made the younger vampire all the more infuriated. It seemed that no matter what angle he tried to tackle the situation, Peter would always end up on top. He hissed, the steering wheel of his Volvo crushing beneath his grip.

Peter and Bella were both undoubtedly on their way back to Forks and Edward soon found himself veering in that direction. They would beat him to it, but he knew that the rest of the Cullen's were still far away.

_Peter and Bella._ The two names together made him feel nauseated. He pushed back the desolate feeling of rejection, planning out his moves for his arrival in Forks. Firstly, he knew he would apologize to Bella about what he'd said the night before, regardless of whether he meant it or not. Bella was a naturally forgiving human—she would pardon his slip of tongue in an instant. As soon as that was done, he would try to ease his way back into her heart, however slowly it may take. Peter might be mated to her, but the nomad knew almost nothing about Bella. Edward had been with her for months now and knew her almost too well and he would use it to his advantage. He let himself relax just slightly at that comforting thought, pushing the acceleration on his shiny Volvo with a new sense of determination.

* * *

Bella didn't know why she felt so nervous. This was _Edward_—she'd put her life into his hands countless times without worry; a man that up until two days ago, she thought she'd loved. She shifted nervously in her stance, breaking into a small pace back and forth through the living room. Peter sat on the couch, his amused eyes dancing on her as she paraded anxiously around the room.

"Isabella, calm down before you wear the floor down to nothing." he teased, reaching out and pulling her down comfortably into his lap. She settled, but her eyes were still filled with worry. His hands rested on her waist, his crimson eyes meeting with her dark brown gaze. "It's gonna be fine, sugar."

"Is it?" she asked in reply, staring down at her fidgeting hands. "Whatever happens today, I just know… things won't be the same."

"Do you want it to be the same? The way it was before I showed up?" he asked.

She paused, thinking about his question. There was no doubt in her mind that she felt herself falling for Peter, but another part of her clung to the comfort and safeness of the past. Things had been easier then—well, as easy as they could be. She had a knack for finding herself in strange and complicated situations, but the Cullen's were a blessing in disguise. They were her family, including Edward. Though she felt her romantic ties breaking off from him, she did still love him very much.

"I just want peace between us all." she replied carefully, not wanting to insult Peter.

"And if peace means that I may have to leave…?" he asked softly, his eyes regarding her with the slightest worry. Bella froze at his question, not knowing how to answer. Would she be able to leave the Cullens? Leave Charlie?

"Bella, love?" a gentle voice called from the front door. Bella jumped in Peter's lap, wide eyes turning to watch the door. She didn't catch Peter's eye roll as he lifted her off his lap. They both stood, watching as Edward stepped into the house, not a crinkle in his shirt, not a hair out of place.

"Perfect timing, Priss." Peter muttered, earning a sharp look from Edward, but nothing more. The Mind Reader turned his attention back to Bella, who was huddling just a little closer to Peter.

"Bella, please. I'm sorry about what I said—I didn't mean it, love." he said, taking a step close to the pair.

Peter's crimson eyes narrowed at him, a low growl in his throat. "You lying son of a bitch." he whispered, earning a surprised glare from Edward. Bella shifted once more, her expression revealing anger and more hurt.

"You meant what you said, Edward. You'd rather have James here chasing me than Peter here protecting me! What about your family? What about the danger that you'd put them in because you can't control your jealousy?!" she asked, her voice rising in volume with each word. Edward flinched at the sharpness in her voice, still steadily approaching her.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about what I said and I know I was wrong. I would never put you in danger and I promise I'll work on my anger towards the nomad. Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?" he asked in the softest tone possible, only a few feet in front of them now.

"Peter, Edward. His name is Peter." she replied, her voice softening slightly. Edward conceded, his head dipping slightly in recognition though his eyes blazed with hate. He turned his gaze towards the tense nomad, only meeting steely red eyes for a brief moment before repeating the name.

"Peter. I apologize for my rash behavior." he said stiffly, but Bella seemed a little more comfortable now.

The nomad didn't reply, turning his stiff gaze over to Bella. She looked up at him with hopeful eyes and he gave way to her wishes, though wanting to sigh heavily in exasperation. He didn't want to make nice with Edweirdo, but what Bella wanted, he would give her. "If you ever, _ever_, even think about placing her in danger, I will know about it. And I promise you, I will rip you to pieces and bury your head like our little friend out in those woods." he replied darkly. Edward held back the snarl in his throat, only nodding once.

"If that happens, I'll gladly let you." he replied.

"Good, cause I wasn't asking for permission, sweetness." Peter snapped back, earning an elbow jab from Bella to his ribs followed by a pained whine. He raised a brow, turning to watch her as she rubbed at her bruised elbow, an amused chuckle falling from his lips.

"Hard skin, kitten." he whispered, taking her sore elbow into his hands and rubbing it gently. She grinned up at him, but faltered when their eyes met. She had to remind herself not to look directly into Peter's eyes anymore—she was always somehow stunned into silence when he looked at her with that intensity. She lost herself once more into Peter's deep gaze, the rest of the world blacking out.

Peter should have felt it sooner; however, the familiar tug of his gift was dulled momentarily by Bella's hot hands and pleasant regard. It should have told him sooner, he thought. It should have fucking warned him earlier. Just a few seconds was all he needed, but it was already too late. By the time he felt the zap on his mind, Edward's fist was only inches from his face. In that split second, Peter had to make a fast decision: Bella's arm was still in his and Edward was coming in fast. The impact from Edward's punch would rip her limb off, if not worse. He gritted his teeth as he made his choice, quickly shooting his hand out towards Bella's right shoulder and pushing her away with considerable strength. He felt her bones break under his fingers as she slammed into the opposite wall, his eyes never leaving hers as Edward's fist made contact with his jaw.

* * *

Edward couldn't stop the snarl that bubbled at his lips when the pair before him shared an intimate moment. This was Bella, _his_ Bella, longing for another vampire. The thought of it overwhelmed him and in an instant, the shaky treaty between him and the nomad vanished. He didn't even realize he was moving before he was on Peter, his pale fist swinging towards the nomad's face. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Peter pushed Bella away, the sound of her collar bone cracking with the pressure of the nomad's hand. She crashed into the wall the same time Peter did.

"Bella!" Edward exclaimed, darting over to her and picking up her limp, shaking form. She was conscience, but only barely. Blood was gushing from a wound on her head, dripping onto his hands and invading his senses. He snarled, warring with the beast inside, trying to reign in his bloodlust. '_Take her. Taste her._' it chanted in his mind and he knew his control was waning. He was losing this battle, but he couldn't say he regretted it. Her blood, which he had fought to protect, was now spilling freely for him to indulge upon.

"Peter…" she whispered, reaching out her good arm towards the immortal lying inside the wall. Peter was climbing out of the rubble, his expression livid as he approached the two at vampire speed. Bella felt herself being jostled, Edward's hands gripping her tightly as he moved away from Peter, backing up towards the front door.

"_Mine_!" he whispered, breathing in the scent of Bella's wound heavily, his tongue darting out and lapping at the blood on her forehead. His eyes rolled back at the ambrosia on his lips, his teeth bearing at the offender inching closer to him. By this time, Bella had fallen unconscious, her breathing and heart slowing rapidly.

"Let her go, Edward. She's going to die. Listen to her heartbeat, you fucking idiot. She's _dying_." Peter said, trying desperately to reason with the blood crazed vampire. He knew from his distance, he would never make it in time to take Bella away before Edward sunk his teeth into her. Recognition met Edward's eyes for the briefest moment, his horrified gaze meeting Bella in his arms. He struggled, but he forced himself to hold his breath as Peter continued to approach, the nomad's hands outstretching to take Bella. Edward nearly shoved her into Peter's arms, rooting himself to the spot and pressing his back against the wall.

Peter cradled the limp human in his arms, examining her wounds. Her broken collar bone could be fixed, but the deep gash on her head was another problem. She could have a concussion or worse and her blood flow wasn't slowing. It was like a scene out of a horror movie, blood splashed onto the floor and panting their clothing. Edward remained frozen against the wall; his eyes squeezed shut in an effort to reign in the monster he'd released.

"Isabella, please…" Peter whispered, gently shaking her face in an effort to wake her. He didn't know a damn thing about humans or keeping them alive, but his gift told him to wake her—do anything to keep her awake. She stirred after a moment in his arms, her eyes lighting up even in her pain when she saw him. Her voice was croaking and weak, but she spoke anyway when he tried to shush her.

"Peter… I'm sorry." she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

"No, kitten, it's not your fault. Shh, everything is going to be fine, Isabella. Carlisle is almost here." he reasoned, wondering whether he was trying to convince himself as well. _'Where the __**fuck**__ are they?' _he asked himself, pressing his hand against Bella's gushing wound. "Please stay awake, sugar. I need you to keep your eyes on me, okay? Don't close your eyes, Isabella." he whispered. Her eyes locked onto his, but they were hazy and unfocused. She was fading quickly and Peter still had no idea how far the Cullen's were from home. Again, he found himself faced with another fast decision. Should he wait for them to come and risk Bella's life? Or should he bite her now and change her before it was too late? He growled, shooting Edward another livid glower.

"Fuck! This is your fault, you goddamn imbecile! Whatever results from this will be your doing, Edward, and you _will_ face the consequences." he hissed.

Peter took one look down at Bella, running his hands through her matted, bloody hair. "I'm going to take the pain away, sweet Isabella." he whispered to her. Her eyelids fluttered, her heart stuttering. He didn't know if she even heard, but he lifted her cooling body, his lips poised above her throat. "I'm sorry, sugar." he muttered in her ear before sinking his teeth into her neck.

* * *

A/N: Edward done fucked up again! Leave a review and let me know what you think! "Edweirdo" was borrowed from the author **'My Universe'**. You can find it in one of the reviews from Chapter 10.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: Peter took one look down at Bella, running his hands through her matted, bloody hair. "I'm going to take the pain away, sweet Isabella." he whispered to her. Her eyelids fluttered, her heart stuttering. He didn't know if she even heard, but he lifted her cooling body, his lips poised above her throat. "I'm sorry, sugar." he muttered in her ear before sinking his teeth into her neck._

* * *

By the time the sound of the car pulling up the driveway hit Peter's ears, Bella was already beginning to writhe in his arms, the scent of his venom searing its way through her body invading his senses. Already, the fatal wound to her head was beginning to slow in bleeding, signaling healing. The Cullen's all flooded in at once, punctuating gasps filling the air at the site of the chaos in the otherwise perfect house. Peter couldn't even look up at them though, his eyes focused on Bella's pained face. She was in obvious agony, but was strangely silent in it.

"Get Edward out of here."

Carlisle's voice rang out first, the good doctors attention turning to the vampire huddled against the wall with his eyes still squeezed shut. He was absolutely silent, his mouth clamped shut in a thin line. It was obvious that he wasn't breathing. Hell, the only vampires in the room that could stand to even breathe were Carlisle and Peter. The rest of the Cullen's valiantly held their breath, though Jasper was the first to grab Edward by the scruff of his shirt and drag him outside. Peter knew it wasn't just for Edward, though. Jasper had always suffered with his control and this was the worst situation for him to be placed in. Bella's blood was all over the wooden floors, smeared across the wall from when Peter had knocked her away. Just as well, Peter thought as he listened to the pained gasp of Edward as they both stepped out of the house. Jasper would be the first choice to calm Edward by using his influence.

"Peter?" Alice's voice rung out softly. She kneeled by him, her tiny hand outstretching and touching his shoulder. He didn't move from his spot, only turning his sharp gaze up to her.

"I had no choice. If I didn't do it, she wouldn't have survived the head wound. She was fading…" He muttered in a voice barely above a whisper. He was trying desperately to rationalize his choice, trying in vain to make it right in his head. He knew Bella wanted to be changed eventually, but she was still so young. She should have had a few more years—time to say goodbye to her father and friends, time to finish school, and finish her teenage years. Now she would be forever frozen at 17, an age at which he vaguely remembered himself to be foolish and still very much a child.

"I know. I saw. There was no other choice, Peter. She'll understand." She replied softly, running a gentle hand through Bella's matted hair. "Let me take her. Esme and I will clean her up and get her dressed."

Peter reluctantly stood with Bella, trying to be as gentle as possible with her frail frame in his arms. "I broke her collar bone and I know it's still painful. Don't jostle her." He said with obvious guilt as Alice took the girl into her arms with ease, motioning Esme to follow her. The motherly immortal followed, placing a gentle hand on Peter's shoulder as she departed after Alice. Rosalie, Emmett, and Carlisle remained in the room, their troubled gaze regarding Peter and the havoc that had ensued. "Rose, Emmett, give me a moment with Peter. Take Edward out for a hunt, but send Jasper back inside please." Carlisle said softly. The two nodded, heading outside to try and console the sobbing Edward. It seemed that even Jasper's stimulus wasn't strong enough to break the Mind Reader from his own wallowing. In just a few seconds, Jasper reappeared, his breathing very slow as he tried to reign in his control.

"Carlisle, you need me?" he asked, his eyes dark with hunger.

"Jasper, join Bella upstairs. Perhaps you can influence some of her pain away? This will be a trying time for her." He suggested, a small smile on his lips. Jasper's pained expression didn't cease, but he nodded and flitted towards the stairs. "I'm proud of you, son." He said softly. Jasper's lips twitched minutely and he nodded, flashing upstairs to help tend to Bella, but not before giving Peter a hard look. Peter returned it, crimson eyes meeting melted gold intensely. Peter felt a strong wave of friendship and brotherhood pour from Jasper and saturate his core, making him almost weak in the knees. He didn't waver when he lifted his left arm, touching it against the Empath's with a firm nod.

"Peter, what happened?" Carlisle asked as soon as they were alone. The question almost made him want to laugh, but bitterness and anger cut through his emotions first.

"What the fuck do you think happened? Didn't the Imp fill you in?" he asked in reply, his voice hard. He knew Carlisle didn't deserve his anger, but he had no other way to expel it. His fist slammed against the wall behind him, the plaster crumbling even further under the impact. He was absolutely livid at the whole situation, at Edward, and at himself for allowing it to play out that way.

"My gift didn't fucking warn me soon enough. I just needed two seconds, Doc. Two seconds and she would have been safe. But her hand was on mine when he swung and… and if I hadn't pushed her away, her arm would have ripped off and she would be _dead_.

So I pushed her away and I felt her fucking bones crushing under my fingers. I watched as her head split open and there was nothing I could do about it. There was blood, so much blood… and then Edward almost lost control. He tasted her and fell into frenzy. I don't even know how I managed to pull him out of it long enough to get Bella away and bite her before she faded." He said, sinking onto his rear and leaning against the wall. His elbows rested on his knees, his face buried in his bloodied hands. Carlisle was silent, listening intently to the nomad as he continued to speak.

"And now what? She's changing and she didn't get a goddamn choice in the matter. I'm almost fucking sure she wanted more human years to enjoy life while she could. Her parents, her friends, school, fucking _sleep_. You know as well as I do how much she likes to sleep," he said with almost a chuckle, but his tone darkened once more, "… and you know what the worst part is? I should have seen it coming. I'm trained to know these things, Doc, and look what all that training and fighting has done for me. Nothing. Because of my inadequacy, my mate was wounded and her choice to live or die was ripped away from her. And I, selfishly, bit her because I can't live without her. What the _fuck_ am I supposed to do now?" he asked, his voice rising in volume.

Peter was, for the first time in a long time, lost. With Charlotte, choices had always been easy. Feed today, fuck tomorrow, and feed again. Call Jasper on occasion, make sure humans didn't find where they were, and bury the bodies of the dead. Yes, no, yes, no. There had never been life altering choices or dire situations where Peter had to make the call. Even in the Mexican Wars, Jasper or Maria made the hard choices and Peter just followed the orders like the soldier he was. He had never been a leader nor had his conscience ever been about protecting a damn human. He felt the guilty toll of his choice to change Bella crashing down over him, crushing every other emotion.

Through the haze he felt a trickle of love and calm exuding from Jasper upstairs, cracking through the surface of guilt. "It's not your fault, brother." His dulcet voice called from above.

"You made the right choice, sweetheart. Bella is with us for eternity now—what she has always wanted." Esme crooned.

"And I forever have a shopping partner." Alice giggled at the end. Peter felt his mouth twitch faintly at the Pixie's comment.

Carlisle found himself kneeling beside the broken man before him, a gentle hand finding Peter's shoulder. "Bella, as you know, is one of the most compassionate and forgiving individuals I know. Peter, she will forgive you as she will forgive Edward eventually. Her existence will continue and I'm certain she would have chosen this life rather than death. Your choice was not only to save your conscience, but hers as well. Bella needs you just as much as you need her, Peter. If I was in your place, I would have done the same. Bella is a part of this family. Rejoice that she will exist with us in this life and that she has us to guide her through this."

Peter sighed heavily, turning his ruby gaze to Carlisle. He could understand now why the man was the head of the coven. He was a peacemaker, gentle at heart, and his response to Peter's strangled speech was enough to calm the nomad momentarily. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, Doc." He replied with a nod, standing up. Carlisle clapped Peter's shoulder heartily, a gentle smile spreading on his face.

"Now, I'm sure you'll want to see Bella. Esme, darling. Won't you and Alice help me clean this mess?" he asked, turning his gaze up towards the ceiling of the three-story home. The two women flitted downstairs, each turning a warm gaze towards Peter.

"She's waiting for you, dear." Esme said softly, gently gesturing upstairs. Peter nodded, heading straight up to sit beside his burning mate.

Below, he could already hear Esme happily making plans to remodel that whole part of the house.

* * *

"Eddie, I swear I'll shove this fucking elk up your ass if you don't drink." Emmett growled, pushing Edward's face towards the pulsing throat of the dying animal. Rosalie held Edward from behind, also pushing the motionless vampire towards the keening elk. For almost fifteen minutes now, he'd been unresponsive to their actions. He had been dry sobbing when they had switched places with Jasper, curled up into a ball on the ground in grief. They had then picked him up and run him miles into the forest, well away from the enticing scent of Bella's blood. He had quieted then, but had stopped responding to anything altogether. She had slapped him, Emmett had nearly ripped his arm off, and she was about to just give in and let him starve.

"Edward, you need to feed." She insisted, reaching out and slicing the elk's jugular with one perfect fingernail. The viscous fluid spewed openly from the wound, splashing onto Edward's mouth. He seemed to click into reality as the scent of hot blood invaded his senses, his mouth opening and closing over the cut. He sucked greedily, taking his fill. Emmett and Rosalie backed away to give him space, their expressions exasperated and slightly annoyed, but relieved that Edward was at least feeding.

He finished the elk within minutes, standing and wiping his bloodied mouth. The pair approached him slowly, watching with careful eyes as he sighed heavily and turned to face them with a more alert expression.

"I need to be alone. Tell Bella… tell her I'm sorry." He said before turning and flitting away deeper into the woods. Emmett made to chase after him, but Rosalie placed a hand on her husband's bulking arm to hold him in place.

"There's nothing we can do to help him, Em. He needs time to get his thoughts together."

"But Rosie—"

"No." she replied firmly, taking Emmett's hand into her own and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Let's go home."

"Oh, right. Bella's gonna officially be my little sis now!" he exclaimed with a wide, giddy grin. Rosalie rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched minutely.

"Damned little human." She muttered before they both sprinted off towards home.

* * *

A/N: Wow, you guys are so amazing! Thank you so much for the follows, favorites, and reviews.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: "Oh, right. Bella's gonna officially be my little sis now!" he exclaimed with a wide, giddy grin. Rosalie rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched minutely. _

"_Damned little human." She muttered before they both sprinted off towards home._

* * *

"Five minutes." Alice whispered, running her hand gently through Bella's shiny mahogany curls. Her golden eyes traced over Bella's smooth unmoving features and down her freshly clothed body. The Seer had taken the liberty of dressing Bella in a gorgeous Versace red dress, the dark crimson v-neck cutting off with classy taste at the knees. She still had to almost threaten Peter to get him out of the room and she could still hear him pacing outside the door, thoroughly annoyed. "She's gorgeous, Pete." Alice whispered, earning a grunt from the man outside the door.

Bella had healed perfectly through her change. The wide gash on her head had closed and starting knitting itself together by the second day. The broken collar bone had followed only minutes afterwards, cracking back into place and mending to perfection. Carlisle had deemed her in perfect physical condition by the third day. They had all already noticed Bella's changing body. Her hips had swelled by a few inches, her waist had cinched in, and her breasts had filled out completely. Her skin had smoothed down to the finest porcelain marble and her hair had a new luster and longer length. Alice had tended to it each day, making sure that she always looked absolutely perfect. She also had to keep Peter's perverted hands from nearly groping her every day. It was apparent that his bond to her had intensified now that she was changing. Alice already had visions of their coupling within the near future, visions of which she tried desperately scratch from her mind.

The Seer listened to the rest of the family approach the guest room where Bella laid, only minutes away from waking. She still couldn't understand how Bella had managed to go through the 3 days of change without a sound and barely moving. If it weren't for her stuttering heartbeat, they would have all believed her dead. Carlisle was the most befuddled, taking small samples of her blood and encouraging the coven to talk to her to see if he could get a response while she was changing. He was hoping that somehow, she hadn't suffered as much as much as the rest of the vampire world during her change. If that was the case, he needed to know why. Bella had remained eternally silent in her maybe-suffering, barely twitching her fingers when any of them touched her.

"Goddamn Elf! I'm coming in." Peter opened the door gracelessly, the hinges nearly popping off with his unchecked strength. He shot Esme an apologetic glance, but made his way back over to the almost newborn laying on the bed. The rest followed in quietly, their golden gazes falling upon Bella. Peter took his place by the bed, taking now lukewarm hand into his, running his marble fingers over hers. Her heart was thudding quickly, quickly beginning to crescendo at a rapid thrum, almost a hum in her chest. For the first time in three days, Bella moved. Her back arched, her breathing stopped altogether, and her heart gave one final _thud_ before stopping completely.

Her eyes remained closed as the first seconds of immortality washed over her. Peter gently squeezed her fingers, speaking softly. "Isabella?"

Her eyes shot open, a deep bloody crimson gaze meeting his with alarm. Her hand was immediately out of his and within that second, she flashed to the corner of the room, crouching lowly and hissing. Peter held out a hand to the Cullen's who began to move closer, signaling them to stand down. Jasper inched closer to Peter, forcing as much calm through the room as he could. Bella visibly relaxed as recognition dawned upon her, her ruby eyes scanning over each person in the room, examining them closely.

"Peter." She whispered; her voice was as perfected as her new body. She grasped at her throat, blinking in disbelief. "Is that my voice?" she asked, her lips twitching into a smile for a fraction of a second. The Cullen's chuckled softly, Peter nodding at her with a knowing smirk.

"Yeah, kitten. It's all you, and may I say you look ravishing." He growled. The mating bond had been steadily rising with each day of her change, but now it was full blown. Every inch of his skin was crawling with a need to be closer to her and even closer then. She must have felt it too, because she shuddered at his voice, taking a cautious step towards him. Her eyes flitted to Jasper, who stood tensely at Peter's side, his gaze intense and guarded. Jasper didn't move as she approached, his brows furrowing in what seemed to be surprise and concern.

"Bella, aren't you hungry?" he asked. Immediately, Bella's hand shot up to her burning throat.

"Now that you mention…" she replied with a weak smile and a shrug.

"Astonishing. Your control is impeccable even as a newborn, Bella." Carlisle chuckled. Jasper seemed to be still disbelieving and wary, gesturing towards the window.

"Perhaps Peter should take you for a hunt first." He suggested. Peter's darkened gaze met Jasper's golden eyes and he scowled at him, taking Bella's hand.

"Master Cockblocker is what you are, ya fucker." Peter muttered before pulling Bella gently towards the open window. They all caught Jasper's mock gasp and snicker.

"And when you come back, we have much to speak about Bella." Carlisle said with eagerness. He desperately wanted to ask Bella about her experience during her change. Bella only nodded with a small smile, turning her attention to Peter. He quirked his brow, a wide grin then spreading on his face as he gestured towards the ground.

"Just drop, sugar. You'll be fine."

Bella stared down at the ground, examining with her newly refurbished eyes. Every jagged rock and speck of dirt was clear to her and still scared her senseless. "Easier said than done. You first, Yoda." She retorted, flashing Peter an uneasy, but toothy grin. He chuckled, shrugging and shoving his hands into his pockets before stepping out of the window with a relaxed posture. She watched as he landed easily on both feet, bending only slightly at the knees.

"Easy peazy. Just drop down, kitten. If you look like you're gonna eat shit, I swear I'll catch you."

Emmett snickered at Peter's comment, earning a heavy smack from Rosalie. Bella turned her gaze back to the coven, meeting warm smiles and encouraged nods. She took a deep, unnecessary breath before falling out of the window. Hah! It was almost too easy. She watched in slow motion as the ground approached, giving her ample time to absorb the impact of the fall on the balls of her high heel adorned feet. The thin stilettos were far from comfortable, even as an immortal with endless balance and grace. She rolled her eyes, taking off the shoes and tossing them up with ease and prefect precision through the open window. She realized hadn't mastered her strength when she heard something smash and break onto the floor followed by Alice's hiss and the rest of the coven laughing at her. As she departed hand in hand with Peter, she could hear the annoyed screech of an angry Pixie.

* * *

"I don't see any reason to grant your wish, young Edward. If you are displeased with your lot, join us. We would gladly welcome you into the guard." Aro reasoned, his milky red gaze watching the unkempt vampire before him with piercing interest. He had already touched Edward and flipped through every single memory. The boy was, indeed, broken. Aro found it to be the greatest opportunity to fold the Mind Reader into his own ranks. With Edward's gift, Aro wouldn't need to touch anyone. He could know all their thoughts, all at once. The knowledge of this untouched power thrilled him endlessly and he absolutely refused to destroy Edward unless absolutely necessary.

Caius, the blonde haired immortal sitting tensely beside Aro's throne, regarded Edward with an annoyed hatred. Then again, he hated almost everyone, save for his two brothers and his mate Athenodora. Marcus sat on the right side of Aro, his expression unreadable save for an uninterested countenance that he bestowed upon everyone, including Aro. "You know what you are going to do, Aro. Let us be done with this." He muttered quietly, ignoring the disheveled immortal standing just in front of them.

Edward easily read through all their minds, his expression one of anger and determination. "Fine." He muttered, turning his heel and beginning to storm out of the castle. If they wouldn't give him what he wanted, he would find a way to make them—and he knew exactly how.

"Young Edward, please reconsider." Aro called after him, but Edward had already stormed out of the throne room. It was already night fall, but the next day during the festival, he would execute his plan.

"Such waste." Marcus muttered softly, though his expression still remained one of boredom.

"Good riddance." Caius hissed with a scowl.

Aro remained silent, more than disappointed at the opportunity slipping through his grasp. "The Seer will undoubtedly see this. I find myself hoping that she and young Isabella will make it in time to save our little 'problem'."

* * *

Hunting was an all-consuming experience. Peter has asked her what prey she wanted and her choice was immediate. While she respected Peter's choices in hunting humans, she decidedly couldn't deal with the guilt of human death on her hands. So they found themselves deep within the forest, trailing silently after elk and deer. She was a natural, easily latching her razor sharp teeth onto each animal with grace and slurping to her hearts content. Peter watched her pounce on each prey, his mounting desire for her nearly tumbling out of control. She was incredible appealing, even more so now than when she was human. He didn't think he could possibly want her more, but she surprised him with each turn of event.

She was finished now, approached him in her blazing red dress stained in animal blood. The ruby droplets dripped from her lips and chin, spilling across her chest. She was feral and magnificent, as he knew she would be. "Peter…" she whispered in a seductive tone, beckoning him with a finger. The wildcat had him wrapped around her finger and he complied, stepping towards her with a dry grin.

"You'll be the death of me, Ms. Swan." He grinned, pulling her into his arms and crushing her rock hard body to his. This time he didn't have to be gentle or wary of her frail form. For once, she was stronger than him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, one long leg sliding up his thigh and gripping his hip tightly.

"Kiss me." She demanded and he again complied, his lips crashing up down hers. Their tongues fought for dominance, his hands roaming over her curvy body. He easily pushed her up against a tree, the wood almost splintering with the force of her body colliding against it. She growled into his mouth, her hips pushing wantonly against his in a desperate need for friction. "Peter, please!" she begged, ripping away from his mouth to speak.

"Please what, kitten?" he asked, a devilish smirk spreading on his face as he ground his arousal against her core, the wood continuing to creak against their rough movements.

"Touch me." She whispered, biting her full lips. Peter didn't stop the groan that escaped his lips as her pale tongue flicked over her lips, giving him promises of what was to come in the future. He chuckled, one hand holding her up by the waist and the other trailing slowly down her body. It ghosted over her neck, tracing gently down her breasts and cupping them gently through her clothes. Her breathing grew shallow as he continued his way down her marble body, sliding up her thigh and pushing her dress up around her waist. Beneath, he found a pair of matching red panties practically soaked in her excitement.

"Aw, sweet Isabella…" he whispered, his thumb just barely running over the front of her underwear, collecting the juices. He brought it up to his mouth, his tongue lapping at her essence. Her eyes darkened watching him, spurring on a whole new wave of want.

"Tease." She whispered, reaching for his hand and taking his finger, dipping it into her own mouth. She could taste herself on his skin and it made her feel so sinful—but so right. This moment, everything they were doing, felt so absolutely right. Edward had never kissed or touched her like this, nor had he ever brought her even close to this feeling of desperate want. He had put her too high up on a pedestal and refused to give her what she had needed. But she was almost glad that he hadn't given in to her wishes because _Peter_ was who she had really needed. He seemed to know exactly where to touch her, how to handle her to get her going within seconds. It was an enthralling familiarity that she looked forward to experiencing with him again and again.

She bit down gently on Peter's finger and he hissed a string of heady expletives, trying desperately not to cream his pants as her tongue began to circle on his digit. "You little minx." He whispered, grinning widely at her and taking his finger away.

_Ring! Ring!_

Peter's phone beeped incessantly and he scowled in annoyance, yanking it out of his pocket. Alice was calling. "This better be worth it, you little imp." He hissed into the phone.

"Sorry to interrupt your little session, but I need to talk to Bella. _Now._" She hissed back. Bella held out her hand expectantly, her dress and hair already smoothed back out to normalcy. Peter rolled his eyes at the phone, handing the phone over to Bella.

"What's up, Alice?" she asked into the phone, her gaze directed back towards the house.

"Bella, it's Edward. He's… he's going to reveal himself to the humans tomorrow. The Volturi is going to kill him." She whispered into the line. Bella froze, her breathing stopping completely. Peter almost snorted beside her, not feeling an ounce of remorse towards the Mind Reader. This was his choice? To go and have the Italian scum kill him off because he was too much of a coward to face Bella?

"We're coming back right now." She replied before handing up the phone and tossing it back to Peter. "Peter…" she whispered, her eyes filled with worry. Peter shook his head, knowing that look all too well.

"No. Absolutely not. He's an idiot for doing this and he deserves what he gets, Isabella. Going on an impromptu rescue mission will only get us all killed and I won't allow that. Please don't ask me to save someone who nearly fucking killed you." He replied, crossing his arms and shaking his head firmly.

Bella's eyes hardened in anger, her body trembling. Peter almost felt afraid. Though she was a very controlled vampire, she was a newborn only a few hours old. Her emotions were volatile and quick to change and he immediately regretted his words. "Look, sugar—"

"No," she cut him off, holding up a bloodied hand, "… Edward is a part of this family, Peter, regardless of what he's done. Because of what happened, I'm a vampire now—what I've always wanted anyway. I may not be in love with him anymore, but I do love him and I've forgiven him, even if you haven't. He's family and I _will_ go to the Volturi to save him, with or without you. What's it going to be?" she asked. Peter nearly gaped at her blatant control, speechless for a few seconds before mustering up a begrudged answer.

"Fine. But Jasper and I are going to be planning this our way and you will do exactly as I say. If I tell you to hide, you hide. If I tell you to run, you run. And fucking shit, if something goes wrong and I tell you to leave me behind; you will do exactly that and save yourself. Do you understand?" he asked, his hands gripped her shoulders tightly. She nodded, her eyes hard with determination.

"I understand."

"Good. Let's get this show on the road. Edweirdo doesn't have much time, I'm guessing."

"Edward, Peter. His name is Edward."

"Edweirdo suits me just fine."

* * *

A/N: Dun dun DUN! And the drama continues to unravel. Let me know what you think!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: "Good. Let's get this show on the road. Edweirdo doesn't have much time, I'm guessing." _

"_Edward, Peter. His name is Edward."_

"_Edweirdo suits him just fine."_

* * *

Edward knew that Alice would find out about his suicidal mission, though his decisions were hard and quick. He hoped that making last minute decisions with the timing at which he would choose to reveal himself and the location of his exposure would slow her down just enough so that he could complete his last duty to himself and to Bella. He could already see the stirrings of daybreak, the sun beginning its slow crawl upwards over the towering structures of Volterra. He could also hear the start of the St. Marcus Day Festival beginning. There was no doubt that the locals would slide into their red cloaks and begin their march through the streets. It was the perfect time to reveal himself in direct sunlight. Exposure of their kind would bring his inevitable death; though he knew Aro would rather him join the Volturi ranks.

Edward knew why he was here—this was his entire fault. He deserved to die, he decided. He'd betrayed her trust and tasted her sweet blood. Had it not been for Peter's intervention, he would have undoubtedly killed Bella. Even now he was thirsting for her blood, though it currently ran dry in her immortal veins. He vaguely wondered how beautiful she was as an immortal, but then crushed it right away. There was no getting out of this, no escape. He would never see Bella or his family again and rightly so. He didn't deserve them; he deserved to rot in the hottest pits of hell for what he had done.

This swiftest way to death was to be as close to the Volturi kings as possible. It would narrow the time it would take for Demetri or Felix to drag him away to their kings, lessening the Cullen's chances at arriving to 'save the day'. Edward took a deep breath, his onyx eyes turning to watch as the streets began to fill with a sea of red, the happy chatter of the locals rising in volume as they approached the base of the Volturi castle. Edward watched them with hollow eyes, his keen hearing listening not only to the humans, but also to the vampires that stirred within the castle, waiting for him to make his move.

It was time, he decided. He stepped forward, just staying within an inch of the shadows and beginning to unbutton his shirt. The shirt slipped off easily and he took one last look out into the crowd, one last look at the beautiful sun, and one last loving thought towards Bella. And he then closed his eyes and stepped out into the sun.

* * *

"This is fucking stupid." Peter scowled, earning a disapproving glance from his mate. He silenced then, turning back to Carlisle and Jasper, who were currently talking about how to get Edward out alive.

Though Bella had made her choice and was adamant about saving Edward, Peter was only tagging along for the sake of her protection. He could care less about Edward or whether he died. In honesty, Peter would have preferred the Mind Reader to just man up and ask him to do it himself—as he had promised before. Not to mention that Edward, from across the world, had managed to cockblock him at the worst time. He bristled in frustration, turning to gaze towards his newborn mate. She stood beside him, her eyes focused on the coven as they all shared their thoughts on the matter. He ran a gentle hand down her back, wrapping it around her waist. She offered him a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. It was obvious she was worried about Edward.

"I just can't believe he would do this. It's selfish." Rosalie hissed, her anger apparent. Peter nodded once in agreement.

"Right you are, Blondie." He muttered quietly.

"He's still deciding when to make a move, but if I know Edward, it's going to be on the day of the festival. There are going to be countless humans there to witness it… Aro won't have a choice but to destroy him." Alice muttered softly to them, her eyes searching out for Edward's future. "He's making last minute decisions. It's hard to follow which path he's going to take."

"I think it would be best not to have the whole coven there. Aro will take it as a possible threat and it is not wise to threaten the Volturi. It will benefit us to keep the group small." Carlisle suggested, turning his gaze towards the Gods of War.

"So who's going, then?" Emmett asked, hoping that he would be a part of the group to depart.

"Bella, Jasper, Peter, and Alice will go. We will stay." Carlisle replied. Emmett visibly deflated at that, his boyish face frowning in disappointment.

"It's easier that way. Less people equals an easier escape if necessary. As soon as Alice gets a read on Edwards movement, we'll be able to plan out more decisively then. For now, we just need to get going." Jasper replied, glancing over at Peter. The nomad rolled his eyes, but nodded in agreement.

"Fine. But when Edward tries to reveal himself, I'm gonna be the one to knock him on his pansy ass."

* * *

_CRACK!_

A heavy marble body slammed into Edward and sent him reeling back into the castle just as his skin had hit the warm sunlight. He landed squarely on his back; his eyes still squeezed shut as the weight of this colliding immortal pressed against him. It must have been Demetri or Felix coming to finish him off. He welcomed it, relaxing his body completely and praying that whoever this was—would finish the job quickly.

"If you wanted to die, Princess, you could have just asked me nicely."

Edward's eyes shot open at the familiar voice, the sound of it creating instant nausea in his belly. "Get. Off. Of. Me." Edward bit out at the nomad pinning him to his back, struggling against his strength to no avail. Peter's bright crimson eyes revealed that he had recently fed, whereas Edward had missed too many meals during his wallowing. With this disadvantage, Peter was indefinitely stronger than him.

Peter grinned dryly down at him, though his ruby eyes flashed angrily. "Say please." He growled, digging his fingers into the Mind Reader's shoulders. Edward snarled at him, valiantly trying to throw him off. "Because of you, Bella and the others are in the throne room with the Italian scum trying to talk them into saving your sorry ass."

"B-Bella… is here?" he asked, ceasing in his struggles.

"Unfortunately." Peter replied, climbing off of Edward and gesturing towards the throne room. "They're waiting for us, Priss. Let's hope none of those humans caught you in that sunlight."

"And if they did?" Edward asked, his voice tingeing in slight fear. He didn't want Bella here—he didn't want her to be hurt because of him. If the Volturi deemed him guilty of breaking the law, he would be killed. Knowing Bella, she would stupidly try to fight against them and the Kings would destroy her and the rest of the Cullens as well.

"I don't know, dimwit. But if something goes wrong in there, you better drop down to your fucking knees and beg for forgiveness. Otherwise, I'll be happy to help them rip you to pieces."

* * *

"No law has been broken, Aro. We ask for a peaceful retreat and I swear to you that this will never happen again." Jasper spoke to the Volturi King, his golden eyes watchful of the two sitting beside him. Caius was in a constant livid state, but he seemed more agitated with the new vampires in the room. They were a strange group of immortals; choosing to feed on animals weakened them considerably. It was almost unheard of in their world and being different wasn't looked upon as favorable.

Marcus was silent as well, watching with weary eyes at their new guests. The lines were strong between the short haired woman and the tall blonde, obviously mates. The brunette that the Mind Reader had come to die for, Bella, seemed to also have mating lines—but not to Edward. Marcus shifted in his seat, holding out a hand to his brother. Aro smiled almost gleefully, taking Marcus' hand eagerly and reading through the lines.

Aro had yet to read through their new guests' minds, but this small piece of information was enough. "It seems, dear friends, that one of you doesn't have a mate here. You must be missing him terribly, young Bella. Where is this Peter?" He said with a false smile, completely ignoring Jasper's last words.

Bella tensed at his words, her face curling into a snarl. Alice wrapped a tiny hand around Bella's wrist, giving it a firm squeeze. She rooted herself to the spot, though her eyes were onyx with obvious hatred.

"Ah, it seems they have arrived." Aro added just a few seconds afterwards, turning his milky red gaze towards the throne room door. They all turned to watch as Edward stumbled into the room, Peter on his heels. The nomad had to practically drag Edward to the front of the room because his eyes were too glued on Bella.

"Bella…" he whispered, seemingly mesmerized by her new immortal form. She offered him a small smile, a means of forgiveness, though her eyes locked onto Peter's almost instantly, full of worry.

"A new addition to the Cullen coven?" Aro asked, his eyes watching Peter.

"I'm a nomad and a human drinker. I don't consider myself a Cullen." Peter replied blatantly, leaving Edward alone and joining his mate.

"But you are mated to Isabella, no?" Aro asked Peter, his eyes glinting in amusement.

"Your point?" Peter snapped back.

"You are mated to _her_," he said, gesturing towards Bella, "… and yet you save _him_? It clearly makes no sense, my dear boy. If I were in your shoes, I would gladly let Edward die. Wouldn't you agree Caius?" Aro asked, turning his attention to the blonde king beside him. Caius bristled, his eyes watchful of the nomad in the room.

"I say death to them all and do it swiftly. Heidi will be coming with our meal soon."

"Well, it is quite a shame that Jane and Alec aren't here to see this. They do love a good beheading…" Aro mused quietly, almost chuckling at the situation.

"W-Wait, please! This isn't necessary. No laws were broken, no one saw Edward. He won't ever try something like this again. I can show you." Alice pleaded.

Aro paused, his lips curving again into a wide grin. "Show me then." He whispered. Alice flitted forward, reaching out a small hand. Aro grasped it greedily, drinking in her visions. Alice pushed as much of the happiest ending as possible to Aro, showing him that Edward would never cause this much trouble again. It seemed to please Aro and he backed away slowly, taking a seat next to his brothers.

"Let us deliberate." He whispered, taking their hands.

"Edward, can he…?" Alice whispered softly only to receive a short nod from Edward.

"He's expanded his gift so far that he can push it onto Marcus and Caius at once, sharing his mind with them. It's a useful skill." He said bitterly, watching them discuss in absolute silence. It must have only been a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Their pale, translucent faces were stoic and difficult to read. By the end of their deliberation, Edward had frozen beside them.

Peter bristled as well, turning a sharp gaze towards Jasper. Minutely, he shook his head in a negative manner. Jasper tensed as well, turning his gaze towards the three rulers.

"Edward?" Bella asked softly, reaching out and touching his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Bella." He whispered softly, taking her hand into his. "I never meant for it to turn this way. Had I known… I'm so sorry." He continued to whisper, nearly begging now. Peter growled, but allowed the Mind Reader to grovel. Something was very wrong and Edward seemed to be the only one that knew what was going to happen.

"Peter, they have—" Edward started to say to Peter, only to be interrupted by Aro.

Aro turned back to face them, mischief hidden beneath his calm expression. "Cullens, we see no reason to punish you. You are free to go," he started, earning a sigh of relief from Bella, "… but there is one more thing that might interest you."

They all tensed as Caius reached over and rang a tiny bell beside his throne. Footsteps rang through the hall to the throne room, their attention all turning towards the door. "I do believe you'd been searching for her, Peter." Aro crooned as a blonde, short haired immortal stepped through the door. Her eyes were wide with surprise when they met with Peter's.

He froze, watching the female with intense eyes. "Charlotte?"

* * *

A/N: I'm kind of iffy about this chapter, but I'm going to put it up anyway. By far, it was the most difficult to write. I'm not quite sure whether my characters were on point or not, but it just doesn't feel right. In any case, I do hope you enjoy it. If not, I hope my next chapter will be better. Let me know what you think!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.

_Previously: They all tensed as Caius reached over and rang a tiny bell beside his throne. Footsteps rang through the hall to the throne room, their attention all turning towards the door. "I do believe you'd been searching for her, Peter." Aro crooned as a blonde, short haired immortal stepped through the door. Her eyes were wide with surprise when they met with Peter's. _

_He froze, watching the female with intense eyes. "Charlotte?"_

* * *

"Charlotte? What the _fuck_ are you doing here with them?" Peter asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He could feel the Cullens and Bella shifting uncomfortably behind him and a low snarl from Bella's lips when she realized who this was. Peter was overall confused. How had Charlotte come to join the Volturi and why would Aro entertain the thought of keeping her around? She wasn't gifted, nor was she skilled in any other art. So why keep her? Peter's mind tried to wrap around this and at the same time, his emotions jolted up to an all new level. Here was his mate behind him, his absolute soul mate; however, here was his ex, the bitch that drove a knife through his heart and then ran away. He wanted to rip her to pieces, but at the same time this wasCharlotte, a woman that he'd shared most of his existence with. As angry as he was, he knew he would never be able to kill her. Peter now could understand Bella's love for Edward. It was nothing more than the love of a friend and no matter how much this friend could hurt him… he could never turn her away.

"Peter… what are _you_ doing here?" she asked in reply, her eyes flitting to Jasper and Alice, the only faces she recognized of the small group of vampires before her. She recognized Edward by description, but the long haired brunette wasn't familiar in the least. Charlotte's eyes narrowed at the locked hands of Peter and this brunette, jealousy bubbling immediately in her flurry of emotions.

"Demetri and Felix stumbled upon Charlotte in Texas. She had returned to her origin to perhaps find a familiar face, but she'd only found my men in the middle of a hunt for a rogue nomad that had broken too many rules. They brought her back here and she told us her story—"

"—More like you took it from her." Peter snapped, his black eyes flashing angrily at Aro. "And you kept her in hopes that in our breakup, I'd go to the Cullens and eventually lead them here in the chase for Char. You just didn't bet on Isabella becoming my mate and your plans were almost foiled until Edward decided to off himself and reenter your radar. This is what it's always been about, hasn't it Aro? Recruitment into your ranks. And here we are, falling perfectly into your fucking trap." Peter seethed, his spine jolting as it fed him the information.

"It was sheer luck that the most gifted individuals in the coven are here with us, isn't it brothers?" Aro asked, a wide grin spreading on his lips. Marcus was indifferent, though Caius' lips twitched for a split second. "I'm sure Carlisle regrets his decision to send you four now. Even Isabella is gifted, from what I had read of Edward's mind."

"Aro, your requests for us to join you are flattering, but we respectfully choose to return home. Surely you can't deny us this request? I've never heard of the Volturi forcing anyone to join them." Jasper replied, his voice hard.

Aro's smiling face snarled for a split second, the expression one of the most frightening Bella had ever seen. "We would never _force_ an immortal to join us. But there is good reason to. At least one of you—Edward—would benefit from joining my guard. It must hurt to see the one he loves in the arms of another. Would it not be easier, young Edward, to stay?" he asked Edward, earning a flinch of pain from the Mind Reader.

"I promise you that we will welcome you with open arms and even tolerate your feeding habits. And you, Alice and Jasper, would find it much simpler here. There is plenty of forest teeming in wildlife around Volterra and I would be happy to give you your own quarters in the castle."

"As enticing as your offer is, we still respectfully decline, Aro." Alice replied, earning a solid nod from Jasper, Bella, Peter, and Edward. Aro paused, the look of obvious disappointment crossing across his face.

"Fine. You are dismissed from Volterra, young ones. Do give my regards to Carlisle and his lovely wife." He replied, the false smile once again replacing his expression.

Bella turned her sharp gaze away from Aro to glance at Peter, who was still seething in his spot. "Peter," she muttered softly. He ripped his gaze away from Aro to look at her. His onyx eyes softened and he took a deep breath, reaching for her. Her hand met his and she gave him a firm squeeze. "We need to leave, Peter." She whispered softly, her eyes catching on a tense Charlotte. The blond haired immortal was seemingly frozen in her spot, her red eyes watching Bella with an intense regard. Bella felt as if the woman was sizing her up, seeing if she was good enough for Peter. It was an alarming sensation that put her on edge, but one she ignored altogether as she tugged gently upon Peter's hand.

"Okay, sugar. Give me a second." He muttered softly back to her, his gaze turning back to Charlotte.

"Char, are you coming with us? I'm not gonna lie, I'm mad as hell—but you're family."

Charlotte paused, turning her frightened gaze up to Aro, as if asking for permission. Aro turned to glance at Marcus and Caius, taking their opinions.

'_We have no need for her. She whines too much as it is. Let her go or I'll end up killing her myself.'_ Caius hissed.

'_The decision lies with you, brother.'_ Marcus whispered within Aro's mind.

Aro turned his gaze back to Charlotte, giving one short nod to dismiss her. "Farewell for now, fair Charlotte."

She said nothing, only following the Cullen's out of the throne room and out into freedom.

* * *

"And who is this?" Carlisle asked, reaching a friendly handshake out to the new crimson eyed immortal in the living room.

"Charlotte." She replied shortly, ignoring his handshake and warily watching the other vampires in the room. Carlisle lowered his hand, though his smile didn't falter.

"Welcome to our home," he said, shooting Rosalie a hard stare when she rolled her eyes at the new guest. "Edward… welcome back, son." He whispered, pulling Edward into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. It won't happen again."

The head of the coven nodded before allowing them to tell their story of the trip to Volterra. Jasper and Alice were slightly cold towards Charlotte, peeved at what she'd done to Peter just months previous. Jasper could feel her insincerity and unremorseful emotion towards the nomad. She obviously didn't feel bad about what she'd done, but she was jealous that Peter had found someone else—someone who seemed superior.

When Carlisle and the rest of the group were filled in, the room filled with a pregnant silence. It was awkward, to say the least. There was so much unsaid and they all needed individual time together to sort it all out, but no one wanted to move first.

"Fucking hell, this is stupid. Are we all just gonna sit here and pretend it's all okay?" Peter's outburst caught most of them off guard, their eyes widening and turning towards the frustrated nomad.

"Peter's right. We need to talk one on one. Edward, I need to talk to you. Peter, I'm sure you need to talk to Charlotte…" Bella suggested, though every part of her was screaming to not leave Peter alone with the new guest.

"I'll meet you at the meadow, Bella." Edward replied with a soft voice, flitting out of the house and disappearing into the thick brush. Peter took Bella's hand, pulling her in closely. An arm wrapped around her waist and he leaned in, pecking her softly on the lips.

"Be careful, Isabella. I still don't mind ripping his arms off, you know. Just holler if you need. I'll be with Char in the woods." he muttered softly, earning an amused grin from her.

"Sure, sure." she whispered back, her eyes flitting towards an agitated Charlotte. She gave Peter's shoulder a gentle squeeze and a 'holler if you need me, too' look. She didn't know what it was about this Charlotte—she just didn't trust her. It wasn't difficult for Bella to trust people. As a human, she had been gullible and even naïve, falling for the easiest parlor tricks and befriending the most dangerous people. But this new girl was off; something about Charlotte just made her uncomfortable. It was like the girl exuded Rosalie's bitchiness, times ten. But for the sake of Peter and the others, she put on a brave front and offered the blonde a small smile, a peace offering.

Charlotte didn't return the smile, continuing to glare at the pair with eyes blacker than night. Bella sighed softly, giving Peter another peck before taking off outside to trail Edward. It was easy enough to find him, his scent unmistakable and leading in a straight line to their meadow. Bella felt her heart swell with blurred human memories, the feeling of comfort and home washing over her as she stepped into the grassy field peppered in pretty purple flowers. Edward was lying upon the ground, his eyes turned towards the sky. "Do you remember this?" he asked softly. Bella, from across the field, smiled at him. She approached at human pace, lying beside him and staring up at the gray, stormy skies. The scent of wildflowers wafted over her, filling her senses. She smiled, remembering the familiarity with a nod.

"Yes, I remember. It's blurry, but I remember." she replied. They must have lain there for at least an hour, just staring up at the skies. It was comfortable and for that hour, it felt like Bella and Edward again—just the two of them. It was a comforting feeling for them both, but Bella knew things just couldn't be the way they were. Eventually, she nudged him with her shoulder, turning her red gaze in his direction. He didn't look back at her though, his eyes still glued to the stormy skies.

"I forgive you, Edward. I forgive you for what happened. It's not your fault."

He was silent, thought his jaw clenched tightly. Another few minutes of silence passed before Edward spoke.

"You love him." he whispered, the pain on his face evident.

"I love you, too." she whispered back, running a gentle hand over his and giving it a squeeze. "But I love him more. He's my everything, Edward. I know how unfair it is to you, but I can't _not_ love him. I've tried. It's impossible."

"And you want to be friends?" Edward asked in reply, his face still pinched in hurt.

"I know it's selfish, but I want both of you in my life. Well, whatever this is," she replied with a chuckle, "… but if it's too hard for you, I will leave with Peter. It's not fair for you to hurt this much, Edward. If you want me to leave, I will leave."

Edward finally turned a dark gaze to her, sitting up and leaning over her body. His stare was intense and for a moment, she thought he was going to try and kiss her. Instead, he ran a hand through her dark tresses, tracing the curves of her slim face. "I will always be in love with you, Bella. But this pain that I feel is nothing compared to the emptiness I would feel if you left. It will be difficult, but I promise to be whatever you need me to be."

For the first time in weeks, they both smiled and fell into easy laughter. They hugged and talked more, falling back into easy conversation. Little by little, Bella felt her ties to Edward strengthening again. The pieces of their broken relationship were slowly beginning to rebuild itself into a strong friendship that she knew would last a lifetime. And for the first time in a long time, things felt almost okay.

* * *

"What do you see in her? She's nothing special, Pete." Charlotte shrugged, leaning up against the thick trunk of a tree, her piercing red eyes watching Peter with an intense regard. It had been months now since she had last seen him, but he looked exactly the same.

"You shut your fucking mouth, Char. This isn't about Isabella, it's about you and what you've done." Peter snapped back, his steely onyx eyes meeting hers with the same level of intensity. The air seemed to crackle with negative energy, the stormy weather only casting an even drearier feeling between the two. Charlotte scoffed, crossing her small arms and rolling her eyes at Peter.

"We've never been mates, Peter. You knew that—so why were you so angry when you caught me in the arms of another man? It's not like you were giving me any anymore."

Peter seethed, his grip cracking the trunk of the thick tree behind him. "I loved you well, Charlotte. We may not have been mates, but I at least at the fucking decency to give you loyalty and fidelity. We'd been together for centuries, Char, but apparently it wasn't enough, was it?! You had to whore yourself around. Was I not good enough?"

"No, Peter. You and I weren't in love, we were companions filling our loneliness with each other." she replied coldly, earning a bitter chuckle from Peter.

"Then why is my gift screaming at me that you're jealous of Isabella?" he asked, quirking a brow. Charlotte growled lowly, her eyes darkening.

"Jealous? Of that little bit? Please spare me, Peter. You went from _me_ to _that?_ Shame on you—I know you can do better. She's a plain little thing, even in immortality. What is it that attracts you? Her purity? Her good heart?"

"She's everything you aren't, Charlotte. It fucking took me a few hundred years, but I finally realized that without your bullshit, I never would have found Isabella."

Charlotte faltered at his comment, a flash of hurt crossing across her face before she schooled her expression into a cold glower. "Whatever, Peter. I'm only sticking around long enough to find a new place to settle. I'll be leaving in a few weeks, if not less."

"Well, that's what you're the best at, isn't it Char? Don't let the door hit you on the way out." he muttered irritably before turning away from his past and taking off to find Isabella.

* * *

A/N: It seems Edward and Bella have regained a piece of friendship, but what about Peter and Charlotte in the weeks to come? Let me know what you think!


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